Apple Computer Inc previewed its forthcoming Macintosh Application Services software for the PowerPC RISC chip in Paris yesterday, at the launch of the new PowerPC supporters club Power Open Association Inc. The software, which includes a native implementation of the Macintosh Toolkit for the PowerPC architecture, enables well-behaved Macintosh applications to run within an X Window on PowerPC and IBM Rios-based systems. The demonstration, using an IBM RS/6000 Model 560 – said to be the equivalent of a PowerPC system – was shown running WordPerfect for Macintosh faster than the fastest Quadra, according to PowerOpen’s new president, Domenic LaCava. Macintosh Application Services includes the Macintosh System 7 Finder, a Motorola 68040 emulator, the native toolkit, and Macintosh System Services for memory management and input-output to files and devices. Many Macintosh applications spend up to 90% of processing time within the Toolbox, according to Apple, which is why a native implementation was developed. A multi-mode code switcher will enable 68000 and new PowerPC applications code to run side by side. It will be available to PowerPC users as the first systems start emerging over the next two quarters. Hewlett-Packard Co Precision Architecture RISC and Sun Microsystems Inc Sparc versions may follow as part of Apple’s Cat in the Hat project (CI No 2,090).
