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A publication by Gavin Gregor Young.
The purpose of this publication is to create and recommend strategic suggestions to help Apple Computer recover, as well as report signs of a recreated Apple Computer that is arising like the phoenix. This publication also seeks to analyze news and rumors in a manner that enlightens investors. The articles are written from the perspective of someone who is both a Wintel and a Macintosh owner, and an investor in stocks. Prior to November 2, 1997, this publication was known as "PowerPC Platform/Common Hardware Reference Platform (PPCP/CHRP) News Analysis - Your Source for Hard to Find News Analysis Regarding CHRP, Apple Computer and its Licensees, Mac OS, NEXTSTEP/OPENSTEP, Rhapsody, BeOS, AIX, Solaris for PowerPC, and WindowsNT 4.0 for PowerPC."
Do you have news, rumors, or general comments that you would like to send to the author? If so, then send e-mail to: gyoung2@homemail.com.
It would be good if Apple licenses FileMaker Pro, HomePage, and Emailer, but an outright sale of them is very bad. These are great products. The Windows versions even get great reviews!
Rumor has it (per MacOS Rumors) that Apple is considering transferring ClarisWorks and MacWorks from Claris to Apple. If this occurs, ClarisWorks can't be renamed MacWorks because it comes in both Mac and Windows versions. Calling it AppleWorks is also inappropriate (because of the older AppleWorks software that existed for the Apple II line). However Claris now has a ClarisWorks Office. Calling that AppleWorks Office or Apple Office might work. If that is done, the the non-office version of Works should be discontinued. The whole thing should simply be sold as one product, like the way Corel has bundled features into Corel WordPerfect Office. Users don't have to install the other features if they don't want to. Another name might be Apple Integrated Office, since the software is integrated as one program, unlike Microsoft Office. Another version could be made that revolves around FileMaker Pro with the name Apple FileMaker Pro Office (or Apple Office Pro).
Perhaps Apple could make a cross licensing deal with Microsoft to create a Microsoft Office - Macintosh Edition that comes bundled with FileMaker Pro, along with increased file support. This should increase both Office sales and FileMaker Pro sales. Both companies win.
Rather than pull Claris into Apple, perhaps all of Apple's software divisions (including the Mac OS) should be pulled into Claris. This separates Apple's operating systems and other software from the hardware company, without having to create another subsidiary (and the increased costs associated with doing so). If this were to happen, it might be a good idea to rename Claris. Then again that might not be necessary (if ads and packaging prominently say Claris, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple Computer).
Macintosh System 7.5.3 68040LC applications currently run on Apple's Macintosh Application Environment (MAE) 3.0. MAE in turn runs on top of HP-Unix for HP PA-RISC boxes. See Apple's MAE website for more details. HP-Unix will in turn run unmodified on Intel's Merced processors (which include HP's PA-RISC technoloy). See the Mewsbytes article "HP Takes Steps To Secure Unix Future 01/13/98" for more details. Therefore it is likely that Macintosh System 7.5.3 68040LC applications will also run on Merced, via HP-Unix and MAE.
Also there is always the possibility of Apple porting Mac OS directly to Intel.
On January 9, 1998 MacOS Rumors reported that "Apple has been going to great lengths to find people who have worked on certain emulation and compatibility projects in the past." I hope these people include Roger Heinen. According to Jim Carlton's book ("Apple - The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania, and Business Blunders", chapter 8 "Looking for Another Way Out"), Heinen was the leader and greatest promoter of the Star Trek project (port of Macintosh System 7 look and feel to Intel 80486 processors). Heinen was anti-Microsoft, but by January 2, 1993 he had resigned from Apple to work for Microsoft.
The Star Trek team had successfully managed to port QuickDraw GX and QuickTime to Intel in November 1992 (after only three months of work) in addition to the Macintosh System 7 look and feel. Apple's QuickTime developer web site says that QuickTime 3.0 for Windows includes part of the Mac OS, I wonder if this is a partial salvaging of the Star Trek ports.
I would also like to see Apple hire back Dan Eilers, Eilers frequently urged Macintosh licensing from the very beginning. He presented many viable licensing strategies. He was Vice President in charge of strategy and development. It would be great to have him as Vice President in charge of Rhapsody licensing and Mac OS for Intel-based PC (Star Trek and Star Trek the NeXT Generation) licensing. The December Archives includes copies of e-mail sent to Steve Jobs, and the rest of Apple's management team, urging them to release the Mac OS for Intel.
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