Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!lll-winken!bu-cs!ckd From: ckd@bu-pub.bu.edu (Christopher K Davis) Newsgroups: gnu.misc.discuss Subject: Re: NeXT boycott--why not? (was Re: Finder Open Wish) Message-ID: <35960@bu-cs.BU.EDU> Date: 6 Aug 89 19:50:30 GMT References: <7259@microsoft.UUCP> <35921@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <4253@emory.mathcs.emory.edu> Sender: daemon@bu-cs.BU.EDU Distribution: gnu Organization: Boston University School of Managment Lines: 45 In-reply-to: phssra@mathcs.emory.edu's message of 6 Aug 89 18:41:51 GMT In article <35921@bu-cs.BU.EDU> ckd@bu-pub.bu.edu (Christopher K Davis) writes: > >On 5 Aug 89 18:29:29 GMT, ericsc@microsoft.UUCP (Eric Schlegel) said: > >E> A bit like the NeXT file system browser, which has multiple panes spanning >E> a window which descend deeper into the directory hierarchy as you move >E> to the right. This is (IMHO) a very wonderful feature of the NeXT. When the >E> NeXT first came out someone posted to the net a Mac version of this browser, >E> but apparently was contacted by NeXT and politely told to "cease and >E> desist," or more uncomfortable legalese would follow. Doesn't bode well for >E> this showing up in the Finder, but I agree, it would be nice. > >GNUrus? Here's an interesting question--does this remind you of what >Apple's been doing? Why aren't you boycotting NeXT? On 6 Aug 89 18:41:51 GMT, phssra@mathcs.emory.edu (Scott R. Anderson) said: Scott> My recollection of this event is that there was no heavy-handedness involved; Scott> in fact, the person who wrote the Mac version of the Browser received a Scott> personal phone call from Steve Jobs, who explained the need for NeXT to have an Scott> interface that was distinguishable from Apple's. The author then voluntarily Scott> withdrew the program from distribution. The issue here wasn't the program's Scott> functionality--there have been other, similar programs available for the Mac-- Scott> but that it looked exactly like the Browser, at a time when NeXT was trying to Scott> establish its computer as something new and different. Right. "It looked exactly like the Browser." Visual interface was the problem, not functionality, right? Sounds like a certain computer "for the rest of us." Admittedly, there was no lawsuit involved--but my question is whether one was threatened or not. (A threat can have as chilling an effect as a lawsuit, as Digital Research's GEM would illustrate.) Scott> * ** Scott Robert Anderson gatech!emoryu1!phssra Scott> * * * ** phssra@unix.cc.emory.edu phssra@emoryu1.bitnet -- /\ | / |\ @bu-pub.bu.edu | Christopher K. Davis, BU SMG '90 / |/ | \ %bu-pub.bu.edu@bu-it.bu.edu | [No, I don't speak for BU...] \ |\ | / | BITNET: smghy6c@buacca \/ | \ |/ @bucsb.UUCP or ...!bu-cs!bucsb!ckd if you gotta. ** IF YOU REPLY TO THE ADDRESS IN THE PATH: LINE IT *WILL* BOUNCE!!! --CKD **