Few decisions have yet been taken over exactly what Apple Computer Inc will do with NeXTstep now that it has bought NeXT Software Inc – indeed one report suggests that it is still open whether the NeXT or the Copland microkernel will be used, when all the evidence suggests that it has to be the NeXT – but Apple is already committed to designing the new operating system to run on iAPX-86-based Windows machines as well as ones designed to the PowerPC Platform. In terms of our new modern Mac operating system based on (NeXT’s technology), we would plan at this time to run it only on the PowerPC, said Christopher Escher, Apple’s chief flak. Of course, we would have the flexibility in the future to reevaluate that. Apple concedes that a lot of work needs to be done before the system comes to market at the end of the year, and another issue still to be decided according to Ellen Hancock is which user interface it will use.
