This is Vol-1-Issue-46-NeXT-L-Digest in view mode; [Up]
Date: Mon, 10-Apr-1989 18:00:42 From: Unknown Subject: Re: Vol 1 Issue 46 -- NeXT-L Digest >From: Michael Nosal <ST502042@BROWNVM> Everyone out there looking for alternatives to the NeXT is barking up the wrong tree. In short, THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVES TO THE NeXT!!! Why? I'll explain. People are too MIPS-oriented and can't think clearly. As has been said before, the *REAL* power of the machine is not how many MIPS, or MFLOPS, or any xxxstones rating, but rather the overall seamless integration of the entire system. What NeXT has given us is a brand-new tool, unlike any we have ever had for spreading the use of computers to LESS and LESS technical applications. Take the example from the Macintosh world. When it came out, it was slow and not as powerful as some other PC-class machines of the time. But it had many of the new features that we take for granted now. How many businesses did ANY desktop pub. before the Mac? Now ask how many consider their DTP to be "essential" to their business. How did they *ever* get along without it? Now we must ask "What applications would *REALLY* take advantage of the NeXT?" Certainly not more spreadsheets or accounting packages. How about access for the handicapped (a MUCH overlooked area) ? How about TRUE hypermedia? (Not hacked-up Hypercard stacks) I'd LOVE to punch in some old textbooks and use the graphics and sound to *really* explain some concepts. (Anyone who has seen "The Mechanical Universe" can appreciate that) * How about Applications in the Classics, English, or History? Strategy analysis of famous battles? Exploring the ancient Egyptian society? David Macaulay's (sp?) books PYRAMID, CATHEDRAL, CASTLE? The NeXT would really be useful in teaching these concepts. The point is, given the HUGE storage space on the Optical Disk, the fantastic sound capability (CD's sound pretty Damn good, don't they?) and more than acceptable graphics (which will eventually be improved into more greyscales, higher resolution or color), we now have the ability to really get physical with what we are computing. (Personally, I'd *love* to see some KILLER games on the NeXT. This has real possibilities, far beyond ANYTHING you've seen, esp. with the sound!) No other machine/system out there has everything the NeXT has and nothing does it as well. --- Michael Nosal --- ST502042@brownvm.brown.edu --- --- "The Paraguay/Beglium Bilateral Waffle Conference 1989" ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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