by Henry Bortman and Jeff Pittelkau

from the February 1997 issue of Australian MacUser magazine

The Mac commnunity has been electrified by the announce1nent that Apple’s next OS will be based on NeXTstep technologies. But, if this hybrid OS does not meet our expectations, Power Mac users will soon be able to use a third-party alternative: a strategy we dub ‘Plan Be .’

Apple has its work cut out for itself. After slip­ping the schedule on Copland, its much bally-hooed next-generation operating system (OS), by nearly two years, the company has now cancelled the project entirely and announced an alternative strategy that involves the use of NeXTstep technolo­gies. The hybrid OS sounds good, but it will not ship until 1998.

by Richard Foxworthy, Editor

from the February 1997 issue of Australian MacUser magazine

By now, most readers will have heard the news - Gil Amelio and the crew at Apple Computer spent their Christmas break writing large cheques - totalling $US400 million - to acquire NeXT Software, the company launched by original Apple co-founder Steve Jobs after losing a 1985 power struggle with then Apple CEO John Sculley.

In a twist that will delight many and horrify some, Steve Jobs himself - the single person most responsible for the Macintosh - is part of the deal. He may only have returned to Apple in the guise of a part-time marketing and technology adviser to Gil Amelio, but he’s baa-aack.

by Galen Gruman

from the November 1997 issue of MacWorld magazine

How quickly the dream died. In December 1994, Apple ended its Macintosh monopoly, giving Power Computing and Radius licenses to make their own Macs. With Wtndows 95 on the horizon and the success of an Intel/Microsoft duopoly clear, Apple’s leaders and the industry saw a chance for the Mac market to gain a new level of competitiveness, flexibility, and innovation.