🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2058@camex.COM> geoff@circus.camex.com (Geoffrey Knauth) writes:
>I've been hearing ugly rumors that IBM dropped NeXTStep and that
>Stepstone and Objective-C are in trouble.  Someone please tell me this
>is disinformation.

I spoke with the president of Stepstone today regarding Stepstones 
financial situation. I was told by the person who answered the phone
(not the pres) that SS was undergoing a ``reorganization'' and that
``very(?) few employees were left.''. The president then informed me
that he was currently putting together a deal himself to get SS
finances back in order. For various reasons I asked how much to
purchase the company. $1,000,000.00 for 50% interest with the other
half controlled by the employees (more on this in a second). Also,
$50,000.00 will by a 2.5% interest in the company, up to a maximum of
15% or $250,000.00. If SS folds the company will sell its customer list
to someone who will then presumably provide support and upgrades. The
Objective-C trademark, nor the SS IC-Pak library are for sale or license.
It is ``the only thing [they] have.''. (Personal note: This I think is
the reason why SS is not doing as well as it could. One does not
promote a tool and expect millions of dollars to be invested in it
without having a second source. I wonder really if SS is suprised at
their situtation?).

Ok, so those were facts as I understood them. Here are my impressions.
This is entirely subjective, and should be dismissed as frivolous
hearsay for serious conversation.

First, the $1Meg seems pie in the sky to me. It is too even, and I
think that it was simply thrown out to me. Secondly, towards the
latter part of my conversation with the president, I asked who would
have controlling interest, and quickly said "Oh yes, the employees.".
He responded by indicating that the employees would control 40% of
the company. See the note above about how employees would own 50%
of the company. This might have been a simple mistake, but my impression
was and is that this is being played by the seat of the pants. Finally
it seems clear to me that the buisness folks at SS have no concept of
how to market a language. Ridiculous license restrictions, unwillingness
to even license their trademark, etc. I've been fighting very hard at
work for Objective-C (C++ is the contender). Technically I was winning
hands down. This morning after my conversation I informed my boss that
we would be dropping Objective-C as a possible development language.
I suspect that this scene will be repeated in many places. This, sirs, 
is a genuine shame.

With regard to IBM dropping NeXTStep I do not know for certain. I offer
this information however. The president of SS is placing great hopes
for IBM, and when I saw Steve Jobs speak he indicated (very indirectly)
that NeXTStep and IBM were in the offing. SS stands to gain $500,000.00
if the IBM deal goes through. At the previous burn rates ($10,000,000.00
in seven years) this translates into 4 months of operation.


>Geoffrey S. Knauth                            E-Mail:    geoff@bos.camex.com
>Camex / DuPont Imaging Systems Inc.           VoiceMail: (617) 426-7550 x451
>75 Kneeland Street                            Reception: (617) 426-3577
>Boston, Massachusetts  02111                  --standard disclaimers--

---Rick

In article <1991May23.031433.11017@netcom.COM>
 rkitts@netcom.COM (Rick Kitts) writes:
>In article <2058@camex.COM> geoff@circus.camex.com (Geoffrey Knauth) writes:
>>I've been hearing ugly rumors that IBM dropped NeXTStep and that
>>Stepstone and Objective-C are in trouble.  Someone please tell me this
>>is disinformation.
>
>I spoke with the president of Stepstone today regarding Stepstones 
>financial situation. I was told by the person who answered the phone
>(not the pres) that SS was undergoing a ``reorganization'' and that
>``very(?) few employees were left.''. The president then informed me

I am a bit confused.

How critical is Stepstone's continued operation to NeXT and NeXT
users?

What part of NeXT software is directly dependent on Stepstone?

I am confused because I thought Objective-C compiler technology
is now/soon part of GNU compiler, which is free.

Izumi Ohzawa             [ $@Bg_78^=;(J ]
USMail: University of California, 360 Minor Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
Telephone: (415) 642-6440             Fax:  (415) 642-3323
Internet: izumi@violet.berkeley.edu   NeXTmail: izumi@pinoko.berkeley.edu 

Suppose Brad Cox, head of and creator of Objective-C, made the company
a public corporation with an issue of stock at very affordable cost
(you could call these junk bonds, if you like)? 

I for one would like to own several shares of stock if they sold at
around $25.00 (U.S.) each. If for no other reason, think of how neat
the stock would be framed and on the wall of your office!!

And as a stock holder, one could participate in the company.

How about it, Stepstone? Objective-C is great and I have my checkbook
ready! I'll put my money where my USENET-mouth is...

-- Chuck Herrick
  campus consultant at
  Texas A&M University for
  NeXT Computer, Inc
--
  The opinions expressed herein are mine and are in no way attributed
  to any of the many people for whom I work. Who they are is irrelevant.

In article <CNH5730.91May23094434@calvin.tamu.edu> cnh5730@calvin.tamu.edu (Charles Herrick) writes:
->Suppose Brad Cox, head of and creator of Objective-C, made the company

Brad Cox is not, and never has been, the head of Stepstone.

->a public corporation with an issue of stock at very affordable cost
->(you could call these junk bonds, if you like)? 

Going public at this time would be a very difficult and expensive
operation.


->I for one would like to own several shares of stock if they sold at
->around $25.00 (U.S.) each. If for no other reason, think of how neat
->the stock would be framed and on the wall of your office!!

 
If all you want is a certificate, send us some money and we'll send
you a certificate.  Would you like to be a donor, a sponsor, or a
patron.  For a million bucks, I'll send you a certificate saying that
you are the head Poobah, or whatever.

->And as a stock holder, one could participate in the company.

->How about it, Stepstone? Objective-C is great and I have my checkbook
->ready! I'll put my money where my USENET-mouth is...

Seriously, though, thanks for your (moral) support.


->-- Chuck Herrick

Ken Lerman

In article <1991May23.075820.983@agate.berkeley.edu> izumi@mindseye.berkeley.edu (Izumi Ohzawa) writes:
>In article <1991May23.031433.11017@netcom.COM>
> rkitts@netcom.COM (Rick Kitts) writes:
>>In article <2058@camex.COM> geoff@circus.camex.com (Geoffrey Knauth) writes:

>>> I've been hearing ugly rumors that [...] Stepstone [...]
>>> [is] in trouble.  Someone please tell me this is disinformation.
>>
>> I spoke with the president of Stepstone today regarding Stepstones
>> financial situation. I was told by the person who answered the
>> phone (not the pres) that SS was undergoing a ``reorganization''
>> and that ``very(?) few employees were left.''. [...]
>
> I am a bit confused.
>
> How critical is Stepstone's continued operation to NeXT and NeXT
> users?
>
> What part of NeXT software is directly dependent on Stepstone?
>
> I am confused because I thought Objective-C compiler technology
> is now/soon part of GNU compiler, which is free.

I love free market economies.  Simply put, Stepstone was pulling in to
much money, not really providing the bang for the buck.  NeXT knew
this (or found it out) decided to cut cost, knew they could do better
than to continue to give any more money to Stepstone.  So they extened
the GNU compiler (for which they don't have to give a red cent to
anyone if they don't want to), and came up with a more cost effective
solution for their needs.  They relied on Stepstone in the past, now
they are ``free'' (pardon the pun).

I think everyone should drop their current compiler vendor, take half
the money, and give it to a company like cygnus or some other support
organization that supports a un-encumbered compiler.

I think in the long run, this will prove to be a win.  A win for
everybody involved.  Take a look at what it has done for NeXT, no more
money to Stepstone, a C++ compiler for free, and others will do some
bug fixing, bug reporting, documentation, maintainance, and upgrading,
as well as things like porting, so that maybe if they choose to switch
to (name almost ANY popular processor) in the future, not a whole lot
of real work needs to be done.

(The above are optionions of mine, I do not claim ANY of the above as fact.
I would like to see e-mail if you followup to this.)
--
If I can get mail to you via a legally registered fully qualified
domain name, you could be on Saturn for all I care.

		-- quote by Bob Sutterfield <bob@MorningStar.Com>