Be Demonstrates BeOS For PowerMac; MacWorld demonstration will show BeOS running on Power Computing Macintoshes.MENLO PARK Menlo Park. 1 Residential city (1990 pop. 28,040), San Mateo co., W Calif.; inc. 1874. Electronic equipment and aerospace products are manufactured in the city. Menlo College and a Stanford Univ. research institute are there. 2 Uninc. , Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 1996--Be(TM) Inc. announced today that at the MacWorld Exposition held in Boston this week, it will demonstrate the Be Operating System operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. (BeOS)(TM) running on PowerPC-based Macintosh(R) personal computers built by Power Computing Not to be confused with the extant computer hardware company also called Power Computing. Power Computing was a short-lived manufacturer of Apple Macintosh-compatible computers. (TM) Inc. Since Be introduced the BeOS late last year, the company has consistently stated that it plans to bring the BeOS to platforms beyond the company's BeBox personal computer product line, and to license the BeOS to personal computer manufacturers, value-added resellers and OEMs. The BeOS for PowerMac(R) demonstration will provide an early glimpse into the company's product plans for the new operating system. "We've designed the BeOS for the next decade's applications, rather than legacy software," said Jean-Louis Gassee, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Be. "With BeOS for PowerMac we aim to demonstrate the power of a true multitasking multitasking Mode of computer operation in which the computer works on multiple tasks at the same time. A task is a computer program (or part of a program) that can be run as a separate entity. , object-oriented operating system An operating system that is based on objects. See object-oriented programming. -- even when running on a single processor PC. We also hope this further shows our commitment to bringing the BeOS to a wide range of personal computer users, and to an open approach to accomplishing this." The BeOS brings to the PowerMac platform a true, preemptive multitasking A multitasking method that shares processing time with all running programs. Preemptive multitasking creates a time-shared environment in which running programs receive a recurring slice of time from the CPU. , multithreaded multithreaded - multithreading software system -- offering protected memory, true virtual memory, and an application architecture based on shared libraries and modular code. The system's API is object-oriented, an approach to software development that helps speed the addition of new application capabilities. The BeOS leverages the latest in graphical user interface graphical user interface (GUI) Computer display format that allows the user to select commands, call up files, start programs, and do other routine tasks by using a mouse to point to pictorial symbols (icons) or lists of menu choices on the screen as opposed to having to concepts to produce an operating system that is both powerful, and simple to use. Within the BeOS, a variety of "software kits" and application tools provide a wealth of functionality that includes integrated database capabilities, 3D graphics, support for audio and MIDI data streams, integrated Internet mail See Internet e-mail service. , remote log-in, and file and web serving capabilities. In addition to these capabilities, the BeOS incorporates many of the data and network standards in use today, such as TCP/IP TCP/IP in full Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Standard Internet communications protocols that allow digital computers to communicate over long distances. networking and Internet protocols, TrueType(R) and Postscript(R) font technology, MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). and QuickTime(R) video formats, Posix and standard UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). tools, and more. At the MacWorld Exposition, Be also announced Developer Release eight of the BeOS (BeOS DR8), upon which the BeOS for PowerMac is based. In addition, Be announced that it has licensed OpenGL(R), the industry standard 3-D environment from Silicon Graphics(R), and is working with Metrowerks(R) Inc. to bring the Java(TM) language and environment to the BeOS. The company stresses that the BeOS for PowerMac is a technology demonstration and is not yet a shipping product. The company's famous "Not yet fit for human consumption" warning signs will be in evidence at the show. The company expects to introduce a product using this technology early next year, and is discussing its plans with Be developers. "Over the last few months, thousands of developers have placed their trust in us by applying to become Be developers and working to bring Be-compatible software to market," added Gassee. "We hope that this demonstration helps to further strengthen this relationship, and shows our commitment to providing them with both the technical foundations for creating exciting products, and the business foundations needed for success." The demonstration of BeOS for PowerMac is being done on Power Computing personal computers in recognition of the teamwork between the companies in making the technology a reality. "Power Computing has been an invaluable resource to us on this project," said Erich Ringewald, Be's vice president of engineering. "We've been happy about working with their team and hope to continue doing so well into the future." In addition, the company thanks the PowerMacintosh hardware team at Apple Computer Inc. for the assistance and technical information they provided during the project. Be will be demonstrating BeOS for PowerMac at the MacWorld Exposition (Boston World Trade Center, booth number 5068). Show hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. In addition, members of the press and analyst communities are invited to stop by Be's hospitality suite on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Boston Marriot Long Wharf Hotel, across from the World Trade Center. About Be Inc. Be Inc. was founded by Jean-Louis Gassee in 1990 to overcome the limitations of existing computer architectures. With a team of industry-leading engineers and business executives in the United States and Europe, the company has positioned itself to become a key player in fast-growing application markets. Be Inc. is headquartered in Menlo Park. Corporate Offices: Be Inc. 800 El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
in full file transfer protocol Internet protocol that allows a computer to send files to or receive files from another computer. Like many Internet resources, FTP works by means of a client-server architecture; the user runs client software to connect to ://ftp.be.com European Offices: Be Inc. Suite 336, Immeuble Olivetti Rue de l'ancien marche 92800 Puteaux France Tel: 33 1 49 06 73 77 Fax: 33 1 49 06 73 79 Internet: http://www.beeurope.com e-mail: infobe@beeurope.com -0- Note to Editors: Copyright (c) 1996 Be Inc. Be, the Be logo, BeBox, BeOS, BWare and GeekPort are trademarks of Be Inc. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics Inc. Metrowerks is a registered trademark of Metrowerks Inc. Java is a trademark of Sun Microsystems. Apple Macintosh PowerMac, QuickTime and TrueType are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Postscript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Inc. All other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners. CONTACT: Be Inc. (North America & Pacific) Jean-Louis Gassee, 415/462-4100 jlg@be.com Mark Gonzales, 415/462-4100 markg@be.com or Jean Calmon, 1 49 06 73 75 (Europe) jean@beeurope.com |
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