NeXT Computer

NeXT Computer

NeXT Computer used by Berners-Lee at CERN
Manufacturer	NeXT, Fremont, California plant
Type	Workstation
Release date	1988
Introductory price	US$6500
Discontinued	1990
Operating system	NeXTSTEP, OPENSTEP
Power	300 Watts, 3 Amps
CPU	Motorola 68030 @ 25Mhz , 68882 FPU @ 25Mhz, 56001 digital signal processor (DSP) @ 25Mhz
Storage capacity	256 MB magneto-optical drive, Optional hard disk
Memory	Shipped with 8MB, Expandable to 16MB using 1 MB Single Inline Memory Modules (SIMMs)
Display	MegaPixel 17" monitor
Graphics	1120×832 pixel resolution, four-level grayscale
Sound	built-in speakers)
Input	85 key Keyboard
Dimensions	1-foot (305 mm) die-cast magnesium cube-shaped case
Successor	NeXTcube

The NeXT Computer (also called the NeXT Computer System) was a high-end workstation computer developed, manufactured, and sold by NeXT Inc., a company founded by Steve Jobs, from 1988 until 1990. It ran the Unix-based NeXTSTEP operating system. The NeXT Computer was packaged in a 1-foot (305 mm) die-cast magnesium cube-shaped case, which led to the machine being informally referred to as "The Cube". It cost US$6,500.

A NeXT Computer was used by Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau at CERN to develop the world's first web server software, CERN HTTPd, and also used to write the first web browser, WorldWideWeb. This workstation became the world's first web server on the Internet.

The NeXT Computer was followed by the NeXTcube in 1990. The NeXT Computer was not a great commercial success; however, some are still used around the world as servers and hobbyist desktops.

Hardware

Uniquely, the NeXT Computer featured a magneto-optical drive in place of the more usual hard disk, although the latter was available as an option. The workstation came with a 1120×832 pixel four-level grayscale MegaPixel 17 in (43 cm) monitor (with built-in speakers).

The 68030 CPU was supported by a 68882 FPU for faster mathematical performance, a 56001 digital signal processor (DSP) for multimedia work and two custom-designed six-channel direct memory access (DMA) channel controllers, which allowed much of the input/output (I/O) processing to be offloaded from the CPU to boost the speed of common tasks.

See also

• NeXTcube
• NeXTstation
• Power Mac G4 Cube
• 3M computer

External links

• The Best of NeXT Collection
• NeXT Computer brochure
• BYTE preview of the NeXT Computer
• NeXTarchive
• old-computers.com — NeXTcube
• NeXTComputers.org

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