apple/ibm

[pvs@jazz.al.alcoa.com (Peter Van Sickel)]

The Apple/IBM liason is probably doomed due to massive culture
differences between the two companies.  The IBM, Microsoft partnership
would seem more natural and yet it blew up too.  Apple has bashed IBM
for too many years to suddenly start working with it.  Both companies
certainly need help.  It's not obvious that Apple knows where it's going
next.  What have they been doing with all that R&D money?  What are they
going to do about the emergence of OSF?  IBM's problems are obvious.
You can read about them in Fortune magazine or the Wall Street Journal.

This agreement is basically a strategic stunt to put a little fear into
Bill Gates and his minions at Microsoft.  I think most people see
through it.  I don't see it as being a credible threat to Microsoft,
Sun, HP or anyone.  It will be interesting to see if I'm wrong.

pvs