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From: csfred@violet.berkeley.edu (Frederick A. Huxham)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Apple Johnathon
Message-ID: <1389@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Tue, 7-Oct-86 14:06:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: jade.1389
Posted: Tue Oct  7 14:06:01 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 10-Oct-86 00:08:50 EDT
Sender: usenet@jade.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: csfred@violet.berkeley.edu (Frederick A. Huxham)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 48


I really hate to disagree with Chuq but...

>> I have heard rumours that Apple are releasing a machine called
>> the "Johnathon" in the near future.
>> It is rumoured that the machine will incorporate a 68020, Lisa like
>> screen (color?) and run System V with a Mac like interface on top.
>> It is also rumoured that it will run Mac S/W.
>> 
>> Could anyone comment on the veracity of these rumours
>
>Please be aware that I'm talking through my hat here.  I have no official
>connection with Apple, and no sources of information that aren't generally
>public (I even read Dvorak, mainly for comedy relief).  I DO watch the
>market, Apple, and the rumor mill incessantly, and enjoy trying to piece all
>the hints together.  Hencewith, here is The Apple According to Chuq.
>
>First, to put away a rumor to rest completely.  The Macintosh will never,
>ever, (like not now or in the future) run Unix in any form.  Apple DOES have
>major development going on in the Unix environment, but it is for a new,
>non-Mac compatible high-end family of computers closer to the Sun/Apollo
>world than anything else.  It is NOT Mac compatible (repeat after me.  It is
>NOT Mac compatible), and is based on a Mac like windowing interface they
>got when they picked up Cadmus.
>
>...
>
>chuq (rebuttals, anyone?)

When I was at the University Consortium meeting in June/July of '86, Gasse,
in his talk stated that Apple was definitely working on a new Mac that
ran a Unix operating system.  He said this to an auditorium of at least
200-300 people.  It wasn't a secret meeting or anything.  In fact there
was at least one reporter from MacWorld in attendence, and yet I haven't
seen anything written anywhere about Gasse's comments.  Gasse said that
the machine would run system 5 Unix with Berkeley 4.2 extensions.  He
pointed out that the machine would run in EITHER Unix mode or Mac mode.
It initially however, would not run a Mac interface to Unix, that would
be released a year or so later.

So, at least in June/July of '86 Apple, (or at least Gasse), had plans
for a Unix based Mac, and also had no problem telling a few hundred people
about it.

As for commenting on any of the other rumors, my roommate (who works at
Apple), and some non-disclosures (with my name on them), seal my lips.

Fred