Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!batcomputer!THEORY.TC.CORNELL.EDU!finn
From: finn@THEORY.TC.CORNELL.EDU (Lee Samuel Finn)
Subject: Re: Why NextStep is not on RS/6000
Message-ID: <1991May17.143137.24913@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
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Organization: Cornell Theory Center
References: <1991May16.212049.19976@menudo.uh.edu>
Date: Fri, 17 May 1991 14:31:37 GMT

In article <1991May16.212049.19976@menudo.uh.edu> mahmoud@csund.cs.uh.edu () writes:
>Rumor on why IBM is not very enthusiastic
>about NeXTstep  on its RS/6000 workstion.
>
>An IBM rep told me the other day that it is not IBM that
>Is not enthusiastic but its Mr. Steve Jobs that is holding out on 
>IBM. The story is that even though IBM gave steve 10 million++
>for NeXTstep to run on its workstations he now claims that
>he sold them a license for NS1.0 only and not for NS2.0.
>Also it seems like he does not want them to have color.
>It seems like he is trying to milk them out of more money and
>they are pretty pissed. The IBM rep said that they are willing
>to sell NeXTstep for the RS/6000 but they are not willing to
>look bad and sell the old version of NS. So he said the only
>way is for steve to come to his senses and be happy with
>his 10 mill. ++ and not be tooooooo greedy.
>I have no idea if he was telling the truth or what...has anyone heard
>this before.....also it this is true we should mail steveeee baby
>a note(s) that we want to see NS2.0 on the RS/6000 and every other
>machine that can handle it......ahmed
>
>

Two comments:
1) As labeled, this is rumor (and from an IBM rep --- not an impartial
source), and
2) I'm not certain that NeXT would be in the wrong here: were these the
terms of the contract? What would IBMs revenue be if they were to pay
the money to license NS2.0? Is the fee exorbitant? 

I don't know the answers to these questions, but I'm not willing to 
condemn ``steveee baby'' as a merciless Simon Le Gree for trying to
squeeze a few bucks out of poor, innocent, IBM --- if in fact that is
what is happening and it is not some other, more likely story.