Here's an example of someone who has had way too much Coffee...
08/25/97
Computer Reseller News
Page 316
Copyright 1997 CMP Publications Inc.
That Scott McNealy is such a card.
Apple may need/want/crave Bill Gates' money, but Sun apparently does
not. At the Enterprise 450 launch in New York, McNealy made his
entrance in black pants and turtleneck, hands folded prayerfully in blatant
imitation of Steve Jobs' Macworld display. "It's a wacky world. I've spent
all night negotiating this deal between Sun and me that will get me on the
covers of Time and Newsweek," he said.
A looming video of Gates appeared over Scooter's head, but it soon
fritzed into static. "Bill! You're breaking up!" McNealy said, holding a
phone to his ear. "Don't worry. I'll tell them exactly what you've said.
What? You're goin' to invest $150 mil-no that's billion with a B? $150
billion in Sun? And you're going to OEM Solaris and merge the two
operating systems and call it Solaris-NT? And go to 100 Percent Pure
Java and disband CaptiveX?" And so on, and so on.
He then struck the Jobs Time cover boy pose: "Bill, thank you. The
world's a better place."
Sun sez its new price performance numbers cream not only the Compaq
ProLiant 6000, but the ProLiant 6500 and ProLiant 7000, as well.
Mysteriously, there were no third-party apps in evidence to prove it.
"That's not what this announcement is about," sniffed one Sunster working
the demos. "It's about price cuts on Unix apps."
McNealy also tantalized the audience with hints about this week's Java
Internet Business Expo. . . . Look for McNealy to wear a ring with an
embedded Java chip that performs tricks. . . . Maybe it will open doors?
Or allow Scott to decode secret messages?
Sources tell me Phil White, ex of Informix, is holed up on some island,
licking his wounds, no doubt. Meanwhile, look for some flashy
Hewlett-Packard color printers this fall, including one that will spit out
either color at 6 pages per minute or monochrome at 24 ppm. It will also
spit out tabloid-size sheets and is due in early '98. The second will be a
new 32-ppm LaserJet 6 with an itsy-bitsy footprint.
And why can't I get Apple out of my head? Who wins in this patent
cross-licensing deal? Apple reportedly has 754 patents to Microsoft's
328, so I guess that answers that question.
According to a former Apple-ite with sources close to the project, Apple
is at least partially dissolving its PC Compatibility Design Group over the
next month. The source noted that this is being done quietly; a separate
and reliable Apple source said he's heard similar things, but added that
Apple will continue to deliver PC Compatible Macs for the foreseeable
future.
The reason is apparently the existence of more open and inexpensive
solutions such as VirtualPC and the development of Rhapsody for Intel.
The goal? A profitable fourth quarter, as de facto head of Apple Steve
Jobs is going all-out for, according to sources.
Rumor has it that former Lotus, Nets Inc. head Jim Manzi is miffed that he
didn't get a seat on Apple's board. This particular tidbit may be just a little
too much to believe, don't cha think?
Readers are of two minds on the Apple-Microsoft mind meld. Some think
Apple needed to assure Office availability and reassure shareholders.
Others think this is a "Surrender Dorothy" deal to kill the MacOS.
Meanwhile in Houston, Steve Huey, formerly of Epson, will join Compaq
as veep of worldwide communications and advertising. In addition to his
North American duties at Compaq, Jim Schraith is slated to become a
director of CompTIA. Schraith has heard the rumor but could not confirm
it. "If true, I am looking forward to contributing. I knew it was being
kicked around."
What's the scoop on the Compaq/Dell front? E-mail me at
Shadowram@cmp.com; or call (800) 521-DIME; or fax (617)
487-7599. |
