In an alliance that could well go a lot further ere long, Data General Corp has signed with NeXT Computer Inc to resell NeXT workstations with its AViiON servers, and the two companies will collaborate in development of client-server systems. Data General will do a version of NeXT’s NetInfo network administration software for its servers, and says it should be ready by the end of the year. The product is not shipping yet, but it seems highly likely that when it is ready to go, Data General will also announce support for the NeXTStep 486 object-oriented operating environment on its Dasher personal computers. And given that NeXT plans to switch to the Motorola Inc 88000 RISC that is the basis of the AViiONs for the next generation of the NeXT Computer System, the field seems set fair for a closer alliance.
