Apple has a superior OS kernal for machine level finished. It provides all the features of BE with added features such as energy saving for portable chipsets. What BE has is a robust middle layer written as an object database system. The user interface and some other vital features are still missing or incomplete.
Apple will announce their strategy on Jan. 7th. so speculating now is not useful. I would say that Sun and Apple are strategizing the combining of their software technologies, (Java, OpenDoc, Server Hosting), and may be announcing others. What they and IBM agree on is that LiveObjects, Talegent, OpenDoc, and others will eventually render the operating system to a second level status. Cross platform work environments with interacting programs and data linked together in real time will be the computer experience people use regardless of the hardware running it.
Microsoft's downfall will be the lack of growth potential without fighting everyone else in the marketplace. I'm talking IBM, not just Apple. Microsoft has Netscape trying to redefine the "operating" system user experience, but also IBM isn't going to let Microsoft define the technologies that drive the corporate work environment. They are not adverse to operating systems, but Microsoft's leveraging tactics compromises the combining of technologies in the corporate solution. Trying to tie all these features and services to WinTel solution environments only, is a trojan horse in IBM's domain and future plans. |
