Apple ships developer release of Rhapsody
By Jeff Walsh
InfoWorld Electric
Posted at 2:08 PM PT, Oct 13, 1997
More than 10,000 developer-release copies of Apple Computer's
next-generation Rhapsody operating system were shipped Monday, company
sources said. Rhapsody is scheduled to be released to customers in 1998.
Rhapsody will be positioned first as a server operating system and high-end
desktop client, the same path Microsoft took with its Windows NT operating
system. Rhapsody will bring the Mac OS interface to the OpenStep
technologies Apple acquired from Next Software.
The developer release is available first for PowerPC, and will operate on
Power Macintosh 8500, 8600, 9500, and 9600 models. Systems shipped earlier
this year will be able to run subsequent developer releases. Apple will
also deliver developer releases of Rhapsody for PC compatibles and the
OpenStep "Yellow Box" for Windows.
In addition to its high-end OS strategy, Apple will also mirror Microsoft's
support policies, company representatives announced Monday.
The policies include free customer support on the Web and through automated
phone systems during the first 90 days of ownership. After the first 90
days, support calls will cost $35.
Apple also announced price reductions across various portable, desktop, and
peripheral product lines through Jan. 16, 1998. The price reductions affect
the PowerBook 3400 notebook line, Power Macintosh 8600 desktop line; and
selected printers, scanners, and digital cameras.
A detailed list of price reductions is available on the Apple Web site.
Apple Computer Inc., in Cupertino, Calif., can be reached at (408) 996-1010
or http://www.apple.com/.
--- Rohit Khare /// Graduate Student /// UC Irvine Computer Science rohit@uci.edu /// Work: (714) 824-3100 /// Home: (714) 823-9705[Urgent? (617) 960-5131 still works to page me]