According to the bio, NeXT was a disaster and burned through cash like one wouldn't believe. Jobs really did learn a lot while he was away from Apple, but he almost didn't get that far.
Read a book!
I'd say he got quite far. MacOS X is, at its core, NEXTSTEP. Why do you think everything in Xcode starts with NS? NeXT technology built iOS. NeXT was a decade+ ahead of anything else out there. It was also prohibitively expensive. They were stunning machines! Jobs was a true believer and he did everything he could to keep NeXT going, even shutting down his beloved hardware operation and transitioning to a software company. I sure would have liked to see the PPC NeXT box that never saw the light of day! And when opportunity presented itself, Jobs pulled the greatest takeover in corporate history. Not only did he convince Apple not to buy Be, but he convinced them to let NeXT take over Apple. Although they didn't know it at the time.
According to the bio, NeXT was a disaster and burned through cash like one wouldn't believe. Jobs really did learn a lot while he was away from Apple, but he almost didn't get that far.
Read a book!
Book is good for reading but ALMOST everything that is in the book you could hear or read elsewhere on internet (often much MORE detailed than in a book!!! - first handed )
Concerning this documentary, it was originally one segment of many on a PBS series called Growing A Business. I've still got a VHS of this program as it followed several startups, showing the problems they faced on a very detailed level. Even at that time I wished they would have devoted a full show about Next.
if you can, please upload it somewhere on internet!
I am sure there is lot of people that will appreciate that
I worked on NeXT workstations back in the early 90's. I remembered being completely blown-away at the quality of the OS and the software being used. The hardware was top-notch and recall how meticulous the inside of the machines were back then. I think we were using Adobe Illustrator (or an equivalent back then). They were truly light-years ahead of the competition. I do vaguely remember my boss getting chewed-out a little bit by upper-management due to the price of the systems. Our designers that used them were in love with them. Sadly, when a complete overhaul of the organization happened and the resulting budget-slashing, those workstations didn't last long.
They were beautiful machines back then. IBM/Microsoft didn't even come close to matching what Steve Jobs had. However, like everything else... cheap rules all.
I have one (NeXTstation) stowed away in the attic somewhere.
I have one (NeXTstation) stowed away in the attic somewhere.
Made of magnesium if I remember correctly.
Inspiring piece of equipment.
J.
I remember having a play on a NeXTcube at my UK university back in 1997, all I remember is an awesomely solid black design and big OS icons - wish had known the significance at the time.
Nontheless it is absolutely fascinating to get an inside look in the making of a company.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas
Anyone have any info on the source of that video? Something about it seems like a vanity piece that was commissioned by Jobs. Can't quite put my finger on it, but that's the feeling I got.
Looks like the director of the original episode put new titles on it and published it on youtube.
I saw this documentary before. What I could not find is a very rare interview that Steve gave in 1989 or 1990 to some magazine about NeXT goals. He said something like "the world does not need another $100M computer company" meaning that he was aiming a much larger market.
In the end, NeXT was he most brilliant failure, opening the way for everything that Apple is delivering today since NeXT OS is the foundation of iMacs, iPhones, iPads iETC.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by iVlad
That far? NeXT technology and interface was the foundation of OS 9.
Mac OS 9? The only thing in Mac OS 9 was Carbon that was created after the merger.
Nothing of NeXTSTEP/Openstep is in OS 9. That's Rhapsody and OS X.
I'd say he got quite far. MacOS X is, at its core, NEXTSTEP. Why do you think everything in Xcode starts with NS? NeXT technology built iOS. NeXT was a decade+ ahead of anything else out there. It was also prohibitively expensive. They were stunning machines! Jobs was a true believer and he did everything he could to keep NeXT going, even shutting down his beloved hardware operation and transitioning to a software company. I sure would have liked to see the PPC NeXT box that never saw the light of day! And when opportunity presented itself, Jobs pulled the greatest takeover in corporate history. Not only did he convince Apple not to buy Be, but he convinced them to let NeXT take over Apple. Although they didn't know it at the time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eriamjh
According to the bio, NeXT was a disaster and burned through cash like one wouldn't believe. Jobs really did learn a lot while he was away from Apple, but he almost didn't get that far.
Read a book!
Book is good for reading but ALMOST everything that is in the book you could hear or read elsewhere on internet (often much MORE detailed than in a book!!! - first handed
so book is good but it is not alpha and omega
Quote:
Originally Posted by G-ray
Concerning this documentary, it was originally one segment of many on a PBS series called Growing A Business. I've still got a VHS of this program as it followed several startups, showing the problems they faced on a very detailed level. Even at that time I wished they would have devoted a full show about Next.
if you can, please upload it somewhere on internet!
I am sure there is lot of people that will appreciate that
Quote:
Originally Posted by sflocal
I worked on NeXT workstations back in the early 90's. I remembered being completely blown-away at the quality of the OS and the software being used. The hardware was top-notch and recall how meticulous the inside of the machines were back then. I think we were using Adobe Illustrator (or an equivalent back then). They were truly light-years ahead of the competition. I do vaguely remember my boss getting chewed-out a little bit by upper-management due to the price of the systems. Our designers that used them were in love with them. Sadly, when a complete overhaul of the organization happened and the resulting budget-slashing, those workstations didn't last long.
They were beautiful machines back then. IBM/Microsoft didn't even come close to matching what Steve Jobs had. However, like everything else... cheap rules all.
I have one (NeXTstation) stowed away in the attic somewhere.
Made of magnesium if I remember correctly.
Inspiring piece of equipment.
J.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jnjnjn
I have one (NeXTstation) stowed away in the attic somewhere.
Made of magnesium if I remember correctly.
Inspiring piece of equipment.
J.
I remember having a play on a NeXTcube at my UK university back in 1997, all I remember is an awesomely solid black design and big OS icons - wish had known the significance at the time.
This isn't rare at all. It was an episode of a series called "Entrepreneurs" and it's been on youtube in different versions for a while.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOlqqriBvUM
Nontheless it is absolutely fascinating to get an inside look in the making of a company.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulkas
Anyone have any info on the source of that video? Something about it seems like a vanity piece that was commissioned by Jobs. Can't quite put my finger on it, but that's the feeling I got.
Looks like the director of the original episode put new titles on it and published it on youtube.
In the end, NeXT was he most brilliant failure, opening the way for everything that Apple is delivering today since NeXT OS is the foundation of iMacs, iPhones, iPads iETC.
Emerson