jk3t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jonathan King) (11/07/88)
At the end of last week, CMU put in its first semi-public order for NeXT machines, and, although I ended up being only a spectator, I managed to find out some things about what kind of configurations are shipping when and with what software that might be helpful to other people who are now contemplating buying a cube. (When I say that the current ordering was "semi-public", I mean that potential orders were first solicited from people subscribing to a bboard at CMU which covers NeXT-related topics, but not from the general student population.) First of all, the only configurations of the NeXT machine which will be shipped to CMU before April, 1989 are those which include either a 330 MB or 660 MB Winchester *in addition to the removeable mag-optical drive*. These early shipments will also include version 0.8 of the NeXT software, and will not include some of the bundled application software until a later software update. In particular, I was told that Mathematica and Allegro Common Lisp would not be part of this shipment, although they would be shipped at a later date and included in the regular software bundle shipped with the NeXT stations starting in the second quarter of 1989. Since I didn't ask about any of the other software, I do not know what its shipping status is. For what it's worth, I could also have ordered a printer, additional memory up to 16 MB, and a ten pack of mag-optical, uh, disc-unit things you could put in the mag-optical drive. My price, as a student, for a NeXT machine with a 330 MB Winchester would have been over $9300 including CMU's 4% handling charge and Pennsylvania sales tax (6%). It was really easy for me as a starving grad student to refuse this deal, and it would have been really hard for me to convince my department to buy me one right now, although, of course, I'll probably try later anyway, and I just might succeed ;-). Please note that the above information may not be accurate for sites other than CMU, and that in fact it may not be accurate for everyone even at CMU given that the school does own 1% of the company and that various research groups here have contributed to software for the NeXT machine. I have no idea whether CMU gets any preference in ordering or receiving these machines, although I expect that they might, under the circumstances. I personally have not yet seen the Cube, although there is no real reason why I should have, either. And for that matter, my opinions are not those of my department, any other department at CMU, or the university as a whole, and the information provided above may or may not accurately reflect the official policies or schedules of NeXT. I did, however, have the opportunity to order a machine to be delivered before April as described above. So there. Jon King, lowly graduate student in the CMU psychology department
mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick) (11/11/88)
In article <gXR-TWy00UiD0C9UVm@andrew.cmu.edu> jk3t+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jonathan King) writes: >At the end of last week, CMU put in its first semi-public order for NeXT >machines, and, although I ended up being only a spectator, I managed to >find out some things about what kind of configurations [deleted stuff about CMU configurations] >Jon King, >lowly graduate student in the CMU psychology department A while ago I saw a nExt info sheet spelling out the 4 main configurations. I'm working from memory, but I recall that there were 2 $6500 configurations. One called "The Educator" and the other "The Scholar" or some such thing. One was The Cube with the laser printer, and the other substituted the printer for the 330 MB winchster. $8500 would get you the system with both the drive and printer. The there was the developer's system that had the 660MB drive instead of the 330 MB one. Our lab had a purchase order out 2 days after the introduction. Supposedly it was their very first one. Word has it that the folks at NeXT were a bit bemused at their first order being for >>> 1 <<< machine. Last I heard it should be here in early December. When I get some time on it, I'll post a user's report. If you're wondering why NASA is getting one, for some reason we're classified as an "educational institution". Probably because of Ames close ties with Stanfurd. -- *** mike (starship janitor) smithwick *** "Some people say I'm arrogant. But I know better then them" - Mike Dukakis at the Al Smith Banquet [disclaimer : nope, I don't work for NASA, I take full blame for my ideas]