| Re: Mac OS info [message #27133 is a reply to message #27124] |
Thu, 11 October 2001 10:36   |
Ken Prager
Messages: 4
Registered: October 2001
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Junior Member |
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In article <3BC5CFEC.A3F1154B@jhuapl.edu>,
"Noam R. Izenberg" <noam.izenberg@jhuapl.edu> wrote:
> The RSI staff had a company wide meeting this morning. I happened to call a
> contact just after and
> talked for a while. I have some info, some changed opinions, and a potential
> route to more
> information later today.
>
> Changes:
> I'm convinced Kodak has little or nothing to do with the decision. Aside from
> more meetings and
> profitability pressure, Kodak is not seen as dictating anything to RSI.
>
> I'm convinced that the decision to drop OS X was financially based, though
> that further convinces me
> the analysis was wrongheaded and/or incomplete. The following points are what
> I gleaned. YMMV
> - RSI's sales dropped 50% 1999 to 2000
> - The largest new contract was either not mac and/or not supportive of Mac
> updates.
> - The largest mac contractor was not up for helping with OS X development
> costs
> - Apple itself was stingy with information (regarding market predictions for
> OS X) and unwilling to
> help development other than with some hardware.
> - RSI realized that with just Thierry doing the programming, the whole
> project was a pizza truck
> accident away from total loss, so at least a backup programmer was needed ->
> more expense.
>
> I still think they're wrong about the recoverability of the expense, but
> that's for another
> conversation.
>
> Info:
> At today's meeting two possibilities were discussed:
> 1) Support of IDL 5.5 in Classic mode of OS X is being considered. I already
> use 5.4 in Classic mode
> at Iwould say 95% efficiency even without support. [Opinion: Thismightgive
> IDL time to observe the
> market response to OS X to re-evaluate their decision]
> 2) A port or emulator for IDL into Mac Linux is being considered.Not an
> aqua-ized total rewrite, but
> something to let us run IDL natively inOS X nonetheless. [Opinion: as a
> command line user of IDL,
> this would be plenty for me.]
> Also: Thierry, though relieved of OS X is still salaried and/or retained
> until the end ofthe year,
> and is apparently being taken good care of. Indicates he (hopefully) woiuld
> not be averse to coming
> backtothe project (even as a contractor).
> Also: Management has been at least somewhat receptive to reported offers from
> oputsiders to finish
> at least a port, if not full a OS X version.
> Also: Our concerns are being heard and given a company wide floor to air.
> Also: The information to customers is recognized as being poor and
> insufficient. They are working
> on better communications. The proof of that will be seen o rnot in the next
> few days.
>
> Hopefully more later,
>
> Noam
Thanks for the update!
Ken Prager
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