On Mon, 2004-08-09 at 16:21, Dale Anderson wrote: > OSX has some very LOOSE nexstep fundamentals ie some of the FSH and app > bundle concepts etc , but that's where the similarities end , OSX has a > different kernel/toolchain/FSH/GUI etc etc etc . MacOS X has more in common with NeXT Step than any other operating system, MacOS 9 included. For example, look at the COCA Appliation Kit API[1] NSBrowser, NSPICTImageRep, NSCursor, NSSlider, NSTextâ What does the NS stand for? It ain't Standford University Network :)
At a more fundamental level, MacOS X is a variant of BSD running on a MACH microkernel, mich likeâ NeXT. True, its GUI system uses PDF, rather than Display PostScript, but the former is almost the same as the latter except for the absence of some of the standard PostScipt control structures and file-IO. As you nicely point out, the packaging system are also the same :P It is not unknown for computer companies to perform "reverse takeovers". Be Inc took over Palm in much the same way as NeXT took over Apple[2]. [1] http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Cocoa/Reference/ApplicationKit/Java/ [2] http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/06/25/be_inc_completes_takeover/ -- Michael JasonSmith http://www.ldots.org/
