3 ms·

I was under the impression due to cost and poor sales, they actually had alternate arrangements to build the NeXT products after a while. It was a nice video a

I was under the impression due to cost and poor sales, they actually had alternate arrangements to build the NeXT products after a while. It was a nice video and launch story though.

ams6110 10y ago
You're right they did get out of the hardware business totally in the later years. But still, they build an an incredible factory that was widely praised.
- protomyth 10y ago
  I'm not talking about getting out of the hardware business. "The factory that Jobs had configured to produce 10,000 computers every month produced hundreds every month. Because of the low volume, human labor was cheaper than maintaining the automated equipment." http://lowendmac.com/2013/next-years-steve-jobs-before-triumphant-return-apple/ http://lowendmac.com/2013/next-years-steve-jobs-before-trium...
  - ams6110 10y ago
    My point was that he built a great factory. That is not diminished by his inability to sell the product. But, he is gone and as others note it was a long time ago. It's probably not very relevant, in retrospect.
- mikeash 10y ago
  In the entire life of the company, that factory built about as many computers as Tesla built cars just last year. And Tesla is a tiny player. This experience hardly seems relevant. Modern Apple is built on NeXT's software, but I don't think there's much if anything of their manufacturing in there.
  - ams6110 10y ago
    You are probably right. Doesn't seem that long ago to me but it really has been decades.
    - mikeash 10y ago
      I know what you mean. I often feel like the state of things in the 90s (when I really started with computers in earnest) is "how things are" and all the changes since then are recent developments. Looking more recently, Apple does have their own factory in the US to make the Mac Pro. I wonder if any of that was intended as a testbed for in-house manufacturing in general.

3 ms·

I was under the impression due to cost and poor sales, they actually had alternate arrangements to build the NeXT products after a while. It was a nice video a

by protomyth 10y ago

I was under the impression due to cost and poor sales, they actually had alternate arrangements to build the NeXT products after a while. It was a nice video and launch story though.

ams6110 10y ago
You're right they did get out of the hardware business totally in the later years. But still, they build an an incredible factory that was widely praised.
- protomyth 10y ago
  I'm not talking about getting out of the hardware business. "The factory that Jobs had configured to produce 10,000 computers every month produced hundreds every month. Because of the low volume, human labor was cheaper than maintaining the automated equipment." http://lowendmac.com/2013/next-years-steve-jobs-before-triumphant-return-apple/ http://lowendmac.com/2013/next-years-steve-jobs-before-trium...
  - ams6110 10y ago
    My point was that he built a great factory. That is not diminished by his inability to sell the product. But, he is gone and as others note it was a long time ago. It's probably not very relevant, in retrospect.
- mikeash 10y ago
  In the entire life of the company, that factory built about as many computers as Tesla built cars just last year. And Tesla is a tiny player. This experience hardly seems relevant. Modern Apple is built on NeXT's software, but I don't think there's much if anything of their manufacturing in there.
  - ams6110 10y ago
    You are probably right. Doesn't seem that long ago to me but it really has been decades.
    - mikeash 10y ago
      I know what you mean. I often feel like the state of things in the 90s (when I really started with computers in earnest) is "how things are" and all the changes since then are recent developments. Looking more recently, Apple does have their own factory in the US to make the Mac Pro. I wonder if any of that was intended as a testbed for in-house manufacturing in general.