The rumors of Mac OS X Server's cancellation that blazed across the 'net recently are apparently only rumors. The brouhaha started when one or more Apple representatives in Europe publicly answered a question about the operating system's release date by stating that the whole project had been cancelled internally, though Apple hadn't yet made a statement about the fact. To add fuel to the fire, Apple remained distressingly tight-lipped about the whole thing when Mac pundit Don Crabb tried to get the real story by contacting people at the company directly. However, now it appears that Apple's official stance on the subject has been made public: they have told MacWEEK that the operating system has most definitely not been cancelled, and that it will ship before the end of the year.

While at last check Don Crabb himself had yet to receive official word from Apple that Mac OS X Server was still on track, he did hear from a trustworthy unnamed Apple source that the OS was definitely still going to be released. While it's a little disturbing that it's been so difficult to get Apple to come right out and give an official straight answer, it's understandable from a marketing perspective. After all, Mac OS 8.5 has just started shipping, and early indications show that sales are very strong; too much publicity about Mac OS X Server could both steal 8.5's spotlight, and reduce its sales-- since Mac OS X Server is expected to ship with a Blue Box environment running 8.5 itself. In fact, several sources claim that Mac OS X Server is ready to ship, but it's being kept under wraps for at least a few more weeks so as not to affect the sales of Mac OS 8.5. Marketing, after all, is what makes the world go 'round.

Of course, one has to wonder if perhaps Apple was planning to cancel Mac OS X Server outright, but changed its mind once word of the plan leaked out and the uproar ensued. Or maybe they were considering cancelling the release, and instructed the operative in Vienna to leak the news as a "trial balloon," which Apple could conveniently and vehemently deny if reaction to the scenario was too negative. See, you can't take your eye off these wacky Apple folks for a second.