Le Club Macintosh de MontrƯal
Publication: InterFace
Issue: Unknown
Author: Eric Tremblay
Series: None
Title: The NeXT Computer
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                     ~ Eric Tremblay / ericet@cam.org ~


THE NeXT COMPUTER   The NeXT is the choice of the future. Why? First of
"""""""""""""""""   all for it's incredible software development tools.
Interface Builder sets a precedent in developers tools for the whole
software industry to follow.  Object-oriented programming, now that's the
future!  Development time reduced by more the 75%. Then there's
connectivity with thin and twisted-pair Ethernet ports which makes the NeXT AppleShare and Novell network ready. So now you can mix a NeXT with a PC or an Apple network without any problems. A user interface that sets the standard for all workstations and personnel computers of the future.  Unix BSD which gives you multi-user and multi-tasking with many other advantages that a Unix system gives you.  Then there's Display PostScript which makes the NeXT a truly "What you see is what you get" machine. Fax integration that will blow you away! Let's not forget the 68040 and the DSP from Motorola which also sets the standard in chip technology. The NeXT floppy disk supports DOS 720K, 1.44 and MacIntosh formatted disks, plus the new Extended Density 2.88 floppy disks.

     On the software side of things, all the major players are there.
Lotus treated us with their incredible Improv spreadsheet and WordPerfect
is there with their industry standard word processor. We also have other
interesting software like the product called Simon Says which gives your
NeXT voice recognition and many many more applications. If that not enough
NeXT bundles a massive amount of software with each machine.  These include Interface Builder, C compilers, Digital Webster (with full word definitions and pictures!), A text editor, Digital Librarian and a Mail application that can include voice attachments and document attachments (like a spreadsheet or graphics or ...) Which other vendors namely Sun are only now emulating.

     The future is bright for NeXT with it's multi-platform port of it's
NeXTstep environment.. NeXTstep has already been ported to the 486 and
ports to other platforms are planned for the near future.  This gives the
user a wider choice of hardware to choose from and at the same time the
user is not at the mercy of a specific hardware or chip vendor.  The NeXT
also has an very large public domain software selection which is growing
rapidly as each month passes, I'll also add that the pd software rivals
some commercial applications found on other platforms, all of this due to
the very advanced developers tools and a great programming community. All
of that and more for a lot less then you think!  I really love my
NeXTstation, I would not trade it for any other computer and that includes
a Sun workstation!