NeXT Cube

From: Mark Tapley <mtapley_at_swri.edu>
Date: Fri Oct 10 13:25:37 1997

>It's perfect cube shaped CPU all done in black..

        My apologies in advance, for NeXTs are not yet classic, depending
on how far one is willing to bend the 10-year limit...but soon, and this is
a reasonably good time to collect them...

        NeXT's first (68030) computer had a processor box which was
basically cube-shaped. The front had an opening for an optical drive (or
two), there were vertical slots two on each side on the back, and there was
a sort of small radiator-fin pattern around the sides and top. Also small
feet on the bottom. The exterior finish was black except for connectors and
markings (serial number, etc.) on the back and plain metal on the bottom.
The processor box,display, keyboard, and mouse were finished in matching
black. Very unique. Sounds sinister, but it actually is very nice to work
in front of.
        Of the four slots on the back, one was full of the processor board,
and the other three were generally empty. A NeXTDimension Card (color
display driver and other stuff) could occupy one of the other three slots.
It was possible to put seperate 030 or 040 cards into the empty slots with
some modifications. These became standalone computers - the only
communications to them were through the ethernet or serial ports on the
back, and in fact they had to be set up to net-boot through the ethernet
port. I'm not aware of any other boards designed to fit in the empty slots.
        Later NeXTs using 68040's at 25 MHz and at 33 MHz (Turbo) came in
two styles: the Cube case, virtually undistinguishable from the older cube
case, and a "Pizza box" case which went under the monitor. The "Pizza
Boxes" were referred to as "NeXT Stations" (possibly with modifiers "Color"
and/or "Turbo") rather than "NeXT Cubes" or "NeXT Computers".
                                                - Mark
Received on Fri Oct 10 1997 - 13:25:37 BST