Conference napalm::commusic_v1

1727.0. "The NeXT Computer" by HPSRAD::NORCROSS () Mon Oct 17 1988 16:31

Here is someone's lengthy  review  of  the  NeXT computer.  Although not
     exclusively COMMUSIC related, I'm sure  it  will  play some part in
     the future of Computer Music.

/Mitch

    ----------------
 Item 263  16:49 Oct12/88  352 lines   No responses
 Michael Nowak
 The NeXT Introduction
 
 This item describes Ted Hanss' impressions of the NeXT machine
 announcement in San Fransisco.
 
 For the past several months ITD has been tracking the
 developments at NeXT Computer. I've been asked to enter my
 personal impressions of the machine. This item was written before
 the actual announcement, so some details are likely missing. I
 will update this item when I return from San Francisco and write
 a longer review for an upcoming MicroDigest.
 
 Ted Hanss
 
 -----------------------------------------------------
 
 NeXT Announces New Workstation
 
 On Wednesday October 12, Palo Alto, California-based NeXT Inc.
 introduced its long-awaited computer workstation. NeXT founder
 Steve Jobs lead the announcement extravaganza before an estimated
 4,000 invited guests at the Davies Symphony Hall in San
 Francisco. The NeXT system integrates a wealth of powerful
 hardware components with software innovations resulting in a
 significant advance over current workstations.
 
 Jobs co-founded Apple Computer but left after a power struggle
 with current CEO John Sculley. Jobs used his accumulated wealth
 to begin this new venture. NeXT was expected to release its
 workstation almost two years ago and continued delays earned the
 company the sobriquet "Eventually" by industry pundits. However,
 the best kept secret in the industry has now been released and I
 look forward to its impact on computing in higher education.
 
 The $6,500 NeXT workstation is a black magnesium cube packed with
 high performance components including the first commercial 256
 megabyte read/write optical disc drive, a 25MHz Motorola 68030
 microprocessor, microprocessor- controlled input/output channels,
 and a digital signal processor. The object-oriented graphical
 user interface is built on Display PostScript and provides an
 intuitive front end to the powerful Mach operating system. The
 monochrome four gray-level display is extremely crisp and clear.
 NeXT also introduced an eight page per minute 400 dot per inch
 (dpi) PostScript laser printer for $2,000.
 
 System Unit.
 
 The main system unit is one foot square and is designed to sit on
 a shelf or on the floor. The single-board design utilizes few
 than 50 integrated circuits (ICs) and makes significant use of
 surface mount technology and proprietary VLSI chips. The board
 includes a thin Ethernet connection, a high speed (four to five
 megabits per second) SCSI connector, a printer connection, and
 two serial connections. Three slots remain free in the unit for
 future upgrades and third party add-on boards. To encourage third
 party board development, NeXT will market the backplane chip to
 board manufacturers.
 
 The system unit allows for two 5.25-inch full height disk drives.
 The system comes standard with a 256 megabyte magneto-optical
 disc drive utilizing removable, erasable optical disc cartridges.
 Cartridges will cost approximately $50 to $75, with prices
 expected to drop during the next year. Options include a 330
 megabyte Winchester hard disk (approximately $2000) or a 660
 megabyte Winchester hard disk (approximately $4,000). A formatted
 optical disc containing the pre-installed system and applications
 software comes with the machine. Beginning work with the NeXT
 workstation is as simple as connecting the cables and plugging in
 the power. Within ten minutes you can be working in your word
 processor.
 
 The workstation, based on the Motorola 68030 microprocessor
 running at 25MHz, utilizes 12 additional processors dedicated to
 the management of input and output (I/O) devices such as video,
 audio, printer, disk, network, etc. This technique, similar to
 mainframe computer designs and resulting in very high performance
 I/O, is made possible by NeXT-developed VLSI chips. In addition,
 the workstation also contains the Motorola 68882 math coprocessor
 and an Motorola 56001 digital signal processor making possible
 complex audio and image processing, optional high speed modems
 (9600 bits per second), data encryption, facsimile, array
 processing, etc. The standard configuration includes eight
 megabytes of random access memory (RAM), which is expandable to
 16 megabytes with one megabit chips or, in the future, 64
 megabytes with 4 megabit chips.
 
 Using VLSI technology, the fewer than 50 ICs on the motherboard
 compares with 100 ICs commonly found in personal computers, the
 300-500 in advanced-function workstations, and the thousands of
 ICs in mainframes. All of the chips except one are CMOS, which
 results in the board only using 11 Watts of power----even with 16
 megabytes of RAM on it. In fact, NeXT had to redesign the power
 supply because the power consumption came in much lower than
 expected
 
 Monitor.
 
 The monitor is connected to the system cube by a three meter
 flexible cord that carries power as well as video, audio, mouse,
 and keyboard connections. The 17" two-bit (four level) gray scale
 monitor has a resolution of 1120 by 832 pixels at 92 pixels per
 inch. NeXT will not deliver a color monitor at this time. As the
 monitor is driven by Display PostScript, true What You See is
 What You Get (WYSIWYG) images can be printed on the optional
 300/400 switchable PostScript laser printer. Display PostScript,
 developed jointly by NeXT and Adobe Systems, Inc., is the result
 of interactive extensions to Adobe PostScript.
 
 The monitor features ports for the keyboard connector, a
 microphone, and stereo headphone/speaker connectors. The monitor
 also includes an integral tubular metal stand that allows a good
 deal of flexibility in positioning. In recognition of its
 potential placement in public work areas, both the monitor and
 the system unit include integral security tie-down hooks.
 
 Operating System.
 
 Jobs is committed to UNIX as he believes it will be the primary
 operating system for computers in the 1990's. The NeXT
 workstation is based on the Mach operating system, developed at
 Carnegie-Mellon University. Mach is a communication- oriented
 replacement for the UNIX kernel that provides binary
 compatibility with Berkeley 4.3 UNIX applications. It also
 provides multiple tasks, multiple threads of execution within
 each task, flexible sharing of memory between tasks, message-
 based interprocess communication, and transparent network
 extensibility.
 
 Printer.
 
 The black-cased printer is a low-profile, small footprint device
 (approximately 17 inches long by 6 inches high by 14 inches
 wide). It is based on the Canon LBP-UX print engine and uses
 standard LBP-SX toner cartridges (the same as those used by Apple
 LaserWriter IIs). The printer is software switchable between 300
 and 400 dots per inch (dpi). The resolution is switchable to
 allow for faster printer at 300 dpi. The 400 dpi resolution
 results in much higher quality images as well as better
 compatibility with facsimile standards. The eight page per minute
 printer features a straight paper path to reduce jams and a bulk
 envelope feeder. The printer is connected to the NeXT system unit
 by a three meter serial cord and the PostScript interpretation is
 performed within the system unit by the workstation's 68030
 microprocessor. While the NeXT machine will work with any
 PostScript printer, purchasers will likely find the NeXT printer
 very affordable---the printer costs only $2,000.
 
 Graphical User Interface.
 
 The NeXT machine features much more than hardware advances. Jobs
 told me that he is actually most proud of the workstation's
 software. Targeted as it is at the higher education market, a
 great deal of work has gone into providing an easy-to- use
 interface to the powerful UNIX operating system. For applications
 developers there is the Interface Builder, a graphical
 object-oriented method to build and modify an application's user
 interface. The Application Kit utilizes 25 high-level objects for
 building applications (the Macintosh, for example, has
 approximately 400). These objects include buttons, text, windows,
 sliders, fonts, dials, bitmaps, panels, switches, menus, rulers,
 scrap books, lists, checkboxes, storage, etc. The objects are all
 user-extensible. NeXT found that user interface-specific
 programming is typically 50% of the code in an application, but
 takes 90% of a programmer's time. NeXT hopes that with the
 Interface Builder this will drop to near ten percent for both.
 
 In addition to its graphics capability, the workstation excels at
 sound and music. For the use of sound, the NeXT workstation
 allows storage and play-back of CD-quality audio. NeXT plans to
 make an object-oriented music kit available in the future. This
 kit would use physical modeling synthesis ("PostScript for
 sound") and subtle sound articulation. In addition, NeXT is
 working with universities on speech recognition applications.
 
 Bundled Software.
 
 A great deal of software is bundled with the workstation. The
 reason, according to NeXT, is that if you don't build it in it
 won't get used. The result is a system that provides potential
 developers with a "high common denominator standard platform"
 according to NeXT's John Ison.
 
 System software bundled with the workstation include the Mach
 operating system (with its UNIX applications interface); the
 Interface Builder; Searcher (a portable interface for information
 searching); Workspace Manager for interacting with the UNIX
 operating system; and Sun Microsystems Network File System (NFS)
 for linking workstations on a network.
 
 Applications software packages bundled with the system include:
 WriteNow word processing; Wolfram Research's Mathematica; Sybase
 SQL Server (this is a special version of Sybase SQL Server that
 only works with NeXT workstations, an upgrade is available);
 Franz Allegro CL Common LISP; Stepstone Objective C;, and the GNU
 C compiler, debugger, and Emacs editor.
 
 Also on the bundled optical disc is a "digital library" that
 includes Merriam Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary and
 Thesaurus; the Oxford Book of Quotations; the Oxford Complete
 Works of Shakespeare; all system and application documentation
 (including Mathematica, Sybase, LISP, Objective C, etc.); and
 chapter six of the Postscript reference manual (the PostScript
 operators). All digital libraries are fully indexed (user data
 files, mail, etc. are indexed on the fly) and quickly searchable.
 
 NeXT has been working with major software vendors involved in
 porting applications to the NeXT workstation. NeXT has been
 encouraging the vendors to price their packages at under $500 a
 copy and advocating site licenses as well. $500 for UNIX-based
 applications is very reasonable compared to commercial UNIX
 applications that can run $2,000 or more. These applications
 include document processors, paint programs, object-oriented
 drawing programs, bezier drawing programs, spreadsheets,
 statistics software, terminal emulators, music composition
 software, and compilers.
 
 Networking.
 
 NeXT claims to have achieved a high throughput Ethernet
 interface. As to administering networks, users will have to cope
 with typical UNIX network administration initially. NeXT is
 currently implementing sophisticated network administration
 tools, however very large networks will continue to need system
 administrators.
 
 Manufacturing Facilities.
 
 A tour of NeXT's manufacturing facilities revealed more about the
 company's attention to detail and commitment to quality. Their
 manufacturing line, which only takes two to three staff to run,
 features high flexibility and fast production. A design change
 made at NeXT is communicated over network connection to the
 manufacturing line several miles away where, within 15 minutes,
 the line is reprogrammed for the change. All parts are
 lot-tracked back to NeXT's suppliers and on to the end users.
 This allows NeXT to quickly locate the source of any quality
 problems and identify who may have received any substandard
 equipment.
 
 Availability.
 
 NeXT will ship systems with version 0.8 software to key customers
 and developers starting this quarter and expects to ship systems
 with final software by second quarter 1989 to a broader base of
 institutions and developers.
 
 Concerns.
 
 Those at Michigan who have seen the machine believe this
 workstation represents a very attractive solution to the growing
 information technology needs of higher education. The NeXT
 workstation integrates a wealth of powerful hardware components
 with impressive software innovations yielding a very significant
 advancement over existing products. NeXT has excelled at
 providing the power of UNIX with an intuitive interface. However,
 there exist several concerns:
 
 Many will likely be disappointed that there is no color monitor
 for the NeXT workstation. Jobs did not wish to utilize color
 mapping as it does not provide the desired quality. Therefore,
 NeXT is waiting before delivering a color monitor. However, the
 four gray-level monitor is very impressive and the use of shading
 is quite powerful.
 
 NeXT is aiming to deliver workstations at personal computer
 prices. However, this is not a student machine. At $6,500,
 without a printer, there will be few student purchases. NeXT sees
 price reductions in the future, but for now the machine will be
 purchased by departments and faculty and placed in public
 workstations areas. The question is, how soon will NeXT reach its
 goal of the $3,000 workstation?
 
 Several of the software companies reportedly working with NeXT
 are not known for their powerful and intuitive user interfaces.
 We hope that NeXT is working closely with these companies and
 assisting in their development of applications that take full
 advantage of the powerful NeXT interface.
 
 Most who have seen the workstation are quite impressed with the
 optical disk drive, but would like the presence of a 3.5-inch
 floppy disk drive as well. $75 for a 256 megabyte cartridge
 compares very favorably with almost $400 for equal floppy disk
 storage. However, small amounts of data are more conveniently
 handled on 3.5 inch floppies.
 
 In my time spent viewing the Interface Builder I developed the
 concern that while it is very powerful, it may be too flexible.
 It would be useful to develop a user interface "grammar checker"
 that examines an application's adherence to user interface
 guidelines.
 
 NeXT is very clear that it is targeting the higher education
 market. However, NeXT cannot ignore the business market. It is
 understandable that NeXT does not want to target the business
 market from the announce date, but NeXT must acknowledge that it
 may have to reconsider this position. Students will be graduating
 from universities and entering a workplace without NeXT machines.
 In addition, how does NeXT plan to support the people who have
 left the university with their NeXT box?
 
 NeXT at Michigan.
 
 What advantages does the NeXT workstation offer to Michigan? For
 one, it is a superb integration of hardware and software
 components. It will allow deployment of a very powerful
 workstation that is easy to set up and use. The NeXT machine's
 user interface will make this workstation attractive to those who
 need the powerful applications running in the UNIX environment
 but have been put off by the UNIX C or Bourne shell interfaces.
 In addition, UNIX experts will appreciate the power of the
 machine and will continue to have access to the tools they
 currently use.
 
 The NeXT machine is expected to have several familiar DOS and
 Macintosh applications ported to it very soon. This will allow
 easy migration of both data and experience for those personal
 computer users who want to move up this high performance
 workstation. NeXT is also advocating that software vendors offer
 individual copies under $500 as well as site licenses. This
 should make software affordable.
 
 There are a number of opportunities for developing instructional
 and research software for the NeXT machine. The highly
 graphics-oriented interface and powerful applications-building
 tools should lead to powerful courseware. In addition, building
 on bundled components, such as Mathematica, can quickly lead to
 classroom tools.
 
 It is clear that this workstation was designed for the higher
 education market. NeXT has spent a great deal of time talking
 with educators and administrators and listening to their needs.
 It looks as if the NeXT workstation will successfully meet these
 needs as well as surpass some expectations.
 
 Summary.
 
 In summary, I was very impressed with this workstation. The NeXT
 machine has a list of features that surpass those of its
 competition. Any one of these features would make the NeXT
 workstation stand out among the current line of desktop machines,
 the combination of them all in one box is very exciting: the
 optical disc drive, the digital signal processor, the graphical
 user interface, the high resolution screen, the list of bundled
 software, the PostScript laser printer, and the microprocessor-
 controlled I/O channels. I believe the NeXT machine will provide
 strong competition for personal computers such as the Macintosh
 II and for the PS/2 Models 70 and 80 running Presentation Manager
 and OS/2. In addition, it competes very well with the offerings
 from traditional UNIX vendors such as Apollo and Sun. Sun will
 most likely react by cutting prices, but it's not just the NeXT
 machines price that makes it attractive. Rather it is the
 integrated package of innovative hardware and software
 developments that exploit the power of the UNIX operating system
 with an intuitive user interface.
 
========================================================================

    I read this, Mitch.  Personally, I don't see this as any big deal.

    If Atari would/could come out with a decent multi-tasking O/S and a
    larger screen surface (and MIDI thru), I'd just as soon have a 1040 or
    Mega as I would this thing. 

    I just don't see anyone wanting to develop big $$$ digital music board
    for a multi-purpose computer.  For a studio, maybe - especially with
    the advent of direct to disk recording.  But for the working musician,
    I think stuff of this sort is a long way out. 

    Besides, at the current price they're asking, I could buy *LOTS* of
    synth gear in addition to an ST.

-b

    Yup.  For that kind of moola I can sure buy a lot of 'CD quality'
    gear.  Also, they went to the 'educators' to see what their needs
    are?  Hahahahahahahahahah!  They should have gone to somebody that
    had MONEY!  Sure, a student is going to want to learn how to use
    a machine that he can't take home and won't see in the office, you
    bet!  And, all you get is black and white?  Gimmee a break ...
    
    Steve

Sounds like a reasonable basis, given more slots and extensibility, for a
68030-based WaveFrame.

After reading this, I think I'll hold off on buying the -386 clone and Mac IIx
I was considering for general-purpose home usage.

	re: .2

	Yeah and  AT&T  sold Unix to educators and look what that
	did.   Not  to  mention  the growth of Pascal and C.  All
	three  are  mediocre  BUT  the colleges turned out people
	that only knew these systems and so business picked up on
	it.   And  lets  not  over  look  at  IBM  signed up as a
	software partner for the NeXT machine.

	I think  NeXT have been smart with their marketing.  Time
	will tell if they win a big slice of the action.

re: .3

	Looks like  you  may have to wait 12 to 18 month for that
	first  price  drop.   V1.0  software  is expected for 2nd
	quarter '89.

		BArry

    What I heard from somewhere, is that after the Lucasfilm
    Sound Droid project came to an end, Jobs hired Andy Moorer
    and "others" to work for NeXT.
    
    This might well mean that the DSP stuff in the sound processing
    software for the NeXT machine would be something to look forward
    to. 
    
    Timo (who was going to buy MTU Digisound-16, but isn't anymore) 
    

    re: a couple back
    
    Hey, if Unix/C cost $6500 per copy (instead of 'free') I doubt educators
    would have embraced them.  Why else would *anybody* come to love
    the vi editor (blecchh!)?  Also, one of the reasons that other 
    Apple (for example) computers became popular was because they were
    cheap and provided capabilities not previously available.  The NeXT is 
    expensive and provides few new capabilities.
    
    But, this is COMMUSIC.  As far as music goes, the DSP chip on board is 
    a new 'fourth-generation' chip that is available for other
    applications/machines.  So, if it's music you're interested in and
    you liked the demo, wait.  It won't be long before the sound 
    capabilities will show up for other machines.  
    
    As to the optical storage, that's coming too (remember THOR?). 
    So, it should relatively soon be possible for most of us (those
    who still have $$$ - ha!) to generate CD-quality masters and get
    MIDI mass storage.  
    
    As to great software, a big plus for NeXT is that it will be easy
    for software developers to generate software (those that choose
    to ... MicroSoft has already refused).  But, there is already a
    lot of software available for PCs and such that meet (or claim
    to meet) user's musical needs (remember Finale?).  Question is, who 
    wants to develop software for a machine that's easy to program?  Sure,
    your product gets out fast, but if it's easy to do, who will pay
    you the big bucks?  And, how will you compete in a market of already
    happy Amiga/Mac/Apple II/PC/C64/ST users accustomed to paying about
    $0-200 for software (NeXT expects software for it to sell at around
    $500)?  (I know, this is an unfair comparison because the NeXT is
    marketed to sell to the 'Fortune 500-ish' (debatable) market of
    educators and students, not musicians and hobbyists/hackers.)
    
    Um, of course, I would happily eat my words if the NeXT sold for
    $3K ... :-)

    
    Steve

	The aim  is  $3k  per  machine,  the  $500  dollar number
	mentioned in connection with NeXT software is the maximum
	that NeXT want people to charge, not the minimum.

		Barry

    Ooooh.  $3K would be nice.  I thought they were talking a $6500
    'discount' price for a basic system to educators.  The implication
    was that the cost would go up for average Joe's and for extras (like
    a hard disk).  I think they would have to hit the $3K realm before
    the machine could be taken seriously.
    
    Steve

    Just read an article last night in Fortune on this - even saw a picture
    of it. 

    In total disagreement with the "big guys", it's gotta be the ugliest
    machine I've ever seen.  And I *still* wouldn't buy one.  Looks like
    lots of hype to me. 

    Now, if it was a VAX ...

-b the skeptic