18 Mar 99
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Last Summer when MacWEEK ceased print publication and started eMediaweekly, a lot of MacWEEK's long time readers were weeping and gnashing their teeth as they wanted something on paper that they could carry with them. More than a few said that they'd even take a PDF version which they could download and print. Well, it appears as if they got their wish. Read the article at Computer Advertisers' Media Advisor.
Basicially, MacWEEK is going to "return to print" with PDF versions that people can download and even print sometime in May '99. There might even be market segment specific versions so people can get the news that they want. The main concern is to keep the file size down. In the same article, MacWEEK is also preparing to debut an online buyer's guide with editorial product reviews and links to resellers where customers can go to buy them.
While we're certain that a lot of those in the Mac Community will cheer this development, others will be saying "Told you so!" Ignore them. Before MacWEEK went solely on line, a lot of those saying "I told you so!" were complaining that the content of the print version was already seen by them on the Web edition, or elsewhere on the Web, and they were also complaining that the print edition was "thin." Since MacWEEK went solely online the content, its length and its timeliness has exploded.
What MacWEEK is doing is addressing the desires of its readers. It's also epxanding its markets and the opportunities contained therein. And while Robert Morgan is a contributing editor to MacWEEK, this isn't a cheerleading item. We'd say the same thing if he weren't. Just like we stated in that old item and analysis of MacWEEK, etc. that we put out last year. As we said, be careful what you wish for you just might get it. Those wishing for a PDF print version of MacWEEK are getting their wish. That's not a bad thing.
Enough said.
Working......
Before we start getting inundated with mammals.org/darwin messages, might as well state this now. Darwin is to mammals.org as /software is to apple.com. Or, /darwin is to mammals.org as AppleRecon is to pelagius.com. It's a subdirectory. If the only thing that was meant to be placed under mammals.org then why use it as a subdirectory? For what it's worth, we've been told "you ain't seen nothing yet! Wait until what's next!" So, we are. We suggest you do so as well.
Working....
With yesterday's unveiling of OS X Server, one of The Heretical MonksTM finally received vindication for two things. One which we mentioned last year, and one that we did not. Why didn't we mention the Open Source portion of "Five Flavors at Your Fingertips?" Because while we believed it, if we had mentioned it you would have questioned our sanity. If we had relayed the recon that Apple was going to embrace Open Source as a strategy would you have believed it? Yet, it was part of "Five Flavors at Your Fingertips." We just didn't mention that part of the recon reports and puzzle pieces. You would have thought we were crazy. As it was, people thought we were crazy for reporting what we did.
Apple "embracing and extending" by even a partial embrace of Open Source is a significant event. And it has relevance to "The Next Big Thing."
You've got to give Mr. Jobs credit for being "insanely great" with the use of Darwin and Mammals for pointing the way to where Apple is heading. Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, was selected for the name of Apple's Open Source initiative as it will allow the platform to evolve. And what's the highest form of life on the evolutionary scale? Mammals. It's something that started with Carbon, "all life forms are based on it."
People wonder why we used the "Mickey" graphics as a link to mammals.org. We might as well tell you. What's "The Next Big Thing?" Convergence. No? It's the next leap on the evolutionary scale as far as the tech sector is concerned. The highest life form as it were. Well, the "Mickey" and Disney link to mammals.org is that it will most likely be part and parcel of what Apple intends to do with "The Next Big Thing." Disney is just a vehicle to point to future expected developments with this evolution. And since Disney is best known for its "mammals," it also served as a great play on words.
Some believe that it's a marketing gimmick to point out how far the Mac platform has evolved over Wintel based computers and the like. No. For as far as the mass consumer markets are concerned, all PCs will be "dinosaurs" as far as convergence is concerned. While they will still be important to consumers they will not be central to their universe. Ancillary and complementary yes, all important no. It all goes back to what we said about information appliances in '95. They won't replace PCs per se but complement them. Even the graphic in the Golden Convergence 1.1 report showed that.
Yes. Mammals are the highest form of life on the evolutionary scale, but that doesn't necessarily mean that mammals.org is purely specific to Apple. Related to Apple? Yes. Has something to do with what Apple intends to accomplish with "The Next Big Thing?" Yes. Being used to point out that Macs are the highest form of life in the tech world? Don't think so. That's "Old Apple" thinking, and we're dealing with "New Apple" evolution here. All we can say is wait and watch.
We were getting a lot of grief that QT Streaming Server wasn't in OS X Server until the Apple Tech Information Library (TIL) item popped up on that site about configuring a firewall for QT Streaming Server. It's in there. Suddenly, those criticisms stopped. Yes, The Revolution has begun. Simple as that. We're just waiting on the ammunition that is QT4.
For what it's worth, we also received a recon report that what's holding up the release of QT4 is the client side and not the server side. Since QT Streaming Server is in OS X Server, this report is credible. And while we might not see QT4 until NAB '99, the revolution has begun. Even if the billboard is still covered in a white sheet. We thought you'd like to know.
Apple has released a beta version of QT for Java, but you need to have QT 3.0.2 and MRJ 2.1 to run it. And the reporting on it misses a major point. You are looking at a convergence development staring you straight in the face. A cross-platform convergence development. While it's not the optimal solution as far as convergence is concerned, it's a solution. Remember that we stated that one of the options was to use QT with Java as a helper application. Not optimal, but useable.
Even with that major point missed in the reporting, some former critics and skeptics of convergence saw the light streaming through the clouds and saw the promised land. Their epiphany could be called a Damascus Road conversion as they saw the blinding light and believed. That they didn't see the light without cloud cover and still we converted shows that converts are becoming easier to get.
Of course the optimal solution would be QT on a kernel that could be upgraded via FlashROM, online or other means but QT with Java hooks is workable.
How much more evidence will be required for the rest of the skeptics and critics to be converted? Sitting them down in one of the already existent totally converged environments? Probably not. We've already said that it wouldn't do it for them. There would be too many "Yeah buts" coming from them.
Yes, there are those totally converged environments already out there. Those "extremely contented guinea pigs" who are testing them and making them idiot-proof are pleased that they were included in the tests. They aren't idiots but they are making sure that they are idiot-proofed for those who need such things.
Yesterday evening we were informed that OS X Server had started appearing in the channels "No Later Than Monday." And last night we were told that the EDU Price List would be changed. Tell the maitre'd to cancel the order of crow. We'll be ordering the steak tartare instead.
As for the Open Source announcements pertaining to OS X Server? Who are we to argue with the reports that OS X Server will offer Linux compatibility and that part of the OS X Server will become Open, relatively speaking? It all goes back to "Ease of use! Look and feel! That's the OS X Appeal!"
For what it's worth, it even goes all the way back to August '97 when people were excited over the prospects for "The Operating System Formerly Known As Rhapsody" (OS X Server) having the power of OpenStep and the ease of use given by Mac OS. It took a lot longer than most expected, but the promise is finally being delivered.
On another front, Internet Valley used our entry from yesterday on Linux compatibility as a potential development. That item from yesterday was an update on our previous reporting on this issue. You can also check the RFI Report Index on MacWEEK.com for relevant columns pertaining to this.
As far as the "OS X Server on Intel" is concerned, while it would be a welcome surprise development for all concerned, we're not really expecting it. We've discussed this issue in the past. Apple would need one or more strategic partners, such as IBM or Compaq to ship and support those OS X Server on Intel boxes. It would have to be a very controlled environment rather than trying to support every Intel box upon which it might be installed.
Others have wondered what Mr. Ellison's schedule is today and whether he might also make an appearance on stage with Mr. Jobs. The last place we saw Mr. Ellison was yesterday, on Neil Cavuto's Business Report on the Fox News Channel (FNC). Now, announcing 8i compatibility would be a very welcome development indeed!
Working....
The groundhog is "toast" because we have about a foot of "Early Spring" on the ground and getting in to work was interesting to say the least. However, we were finally able to get pictures of the Apple Tree outside the window covered in snow. More than a few are happy about that.
So while we're going to be working on some things, it looks as if we're going to be spared having to eat crow regarding Mac OS X Server.
While OS X Server might not make the No Later Than Monday deadline, we're not going to get ready to dine on crow just yet. You see, OS X Server has been on Apple's server since our initial report, and we're not talking what's publicly viewable. And Education channel members have OS X Server CDs in their possession and had them last week. Not all of them, select entities. And we're not talking betas, final candidates or even golden masters, but the real deal. And the Tuesday press conference for the industry and local press in Cupertino on "OS Strategy" points to it all. It's to be hosted by none other than Mr. Jobs with Avie Tevanian in attendance.
Reportedly, Mr. Jobs will be opening himself up to questions from the reporters and editors in attendance and that is extremely rare. And while speculation is rampant as to what will be announced on Tuesday, our best guesstimate is that Mr. Jobs will be announcing that OS X Server is ready and that it is also compatible with Linux applications.
Given the nature of the announcements, we'll probably also see Mr. Jobs making the rounds of the financial media such as CNBC and CNNfn.
OS X Server is in the EDU channel and it's also on Apple's servers. It's there, we're just waiting on Mr. Jobs. No matter. As long as it's out. We'll accept the Tuesday press conference in the same manner as the "Deer Hunter" reference at MWNY '98. No matter. OS X Server c'est arrive!
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1998 Echo 4 Holdings / Recon For Investors. All Rights Reserved.
