[net.micro.mac] Hot new rumor

davidl@teklds.UUCP (David Levine) (10/28/85)

Although I seriously doubt the veracity of this rumor, I am reporting it 
here because it is of interest (to say the least!) to the Net community.

My dealer told me this weekend (under a "you didn't hear this from me" 
disclaimer) that the big January announcement will be a 2-Meg Mac running 
UNIX, not compatible with any existing Mac software.  This dealer is not a
UNIX afficionado, so he has no UNIX axe to grind.

I don't think this rumor's worth the paper it isn't printed on, because, as
AT&T has recently learned, UNIX carries no clout in the marketplace.  The new
post-Jobs Apple will probably care more about marketability than technical 
elegance, and I couldn't see Sculley supporting UNIX.  

However, I'd love to see it.  (Although I wonder why they'd call it a "Mac" 
if it won't run Mac software...)

David D. Levine       (...decvax!tektronix!teklds!davidl)    [UUCP]
                      (teklds!davidl.tektronix@csnet-relay)  [ARPA/CSNET]

(Heck, I'd be glad if the January announcement was just the stupid ROM
upgrade!)

morse@leadsv.UUCP (Terry Morse) (10/30/85)

In article <1195@teklds.UUCP>, davidl@teklds.UUCP (David Levine) writes:
> 
> My dealer told me this weekend (under a "you didn't hear this from me" 
> disclaimer) that the big January announcement will be a 2-Meg Mac running 
> UNIX, not compatible with any existing Mac software.

Comment 1:  It seems to follow the lines of Jobs' announced intent to provide
	a workstation for academia (UNIX, bit-mapped, medium cost).  Maybe
	it's a leftover rumor from Jobs.

Comment 2:  The original OS on the LISA was a micro version of UNIX (XENIX?).
	So the concept is not completely wacko.

Comment 3:  The UNIX Mac would fit in with the 20MB hard disk with file
	hierarchy.  You would need 10MB to support UNIX reasonably.

So it's possible that the rumor is true.  But I wouldn't keep my hopes up.
-- 

Terry Morse  (408)743-1487
{ amdcad!cae780 } | { sun!sunncal } !leadsv!morse

mdm@ecn-pc.UUCP (Mike D McEvoy) (11/01/85)

In article <1195@teklds.UUCP> davidl@teklds.UUCP (David Levine) writes:
>Although I seriously doubt the veracity of this rumor, I am reporting it 
>here because it is of interest (to say the least!) to the Net community.
>
>My dealer told me this weekend (under a "you didn't hear this from me" 
>disclaimer) that the big January announcement will be a 2-Meg Mac running 
>UNIX, not compatible with any existing Mac software.  This dealer is not a
>UNIX afficionado, so he has no UNIX axe to grind.
>
>I don't think this rumor's worth the paper it isn't printed on, because, as
>AT&T has recently learned, UNIX carries no clout in the marketplace.  The new
>post-Jobs Apple will probably care more about marketability than technical 
>elegance, and I couldn't see Sculley supporting UNIX.  

1)  Their is nothing about the mac's design that would preclude it from
    running on a machine that has UNIX on it.  The MMU can be made transparent
    with little effort.  

2)  Put me down for unit 2....  (Never buy unit 1)

				Big Mac