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Trust No One (4/3/98)
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Conspiracy Alert: Faithful viewer Ben Dyer has sharper eyes (and a more paranoid mind) than most. Consider his latest scenario: I just read today's episode and I got to the part about Planet Computing trying to get the Newton division and I had a theory: what if Planet Computing is actually the re-organization of Power Computing? Think about it, they are both based out of Austin and have similar names! They would barely have to change the letterheads! It makes sense to me...
Good lord, suddenly it all comes clear! Power Computing, in a remarkable burst of vision, predicted that the desktop computer will be obsolete in a few years, as technology progresses and handhelds become increasingly powerful, tiny, and popular. They realized that the Newton OS was the best handheld operating system by far. But how to acquire it?
First, after obtaining their Mac OS license, they sold faster Macs than Apple and advertised only to Apple's existing customers, thus stealing Apple sales and contributing to Apple's financial decline. Next, they needed a patsy; enter Joel Kocher, who did Kahng's dirty work by publicly decrying Apple's cloning restrictions in highly visible conditions, like Macworld Expo Boston, which was promptly followed by Kocher's "resignation." Apple was so enraged by Kocher's histrionics that they outright purchased Power's Mac OS license and business just to be rid of them-- now Power is rid of its desktop OS license and appears to the public to be ready to fold any minute. So far so good.
Next, Power made a half-hearted foray into the Wintel world to alleviate suspicion (a move so feeble it must have been fake), and finally "shut down" after its spectacular "failure." Owner Steve Kahng announces that the company will soon re-form and return with new products. Meanwhile, during all of these events, Apple's financial ugliness (architected by Power) mandates the ending of unfocused and unprofitable projects-- like Newton. Suddenly, "Planet Computing" from Austin, TX makes an offer for the now-discontinued Newton OS. If they get it, "Planet" Computing can release handhelds that can compete with the Pilot in size and price, but running the superior Newton OS, thus preparing to own the handheld market in the 21st century. And that's how the game is played. Diabolical.
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SceneLink (593)
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 4/3/98 episode: April 3, 1998: There's something fishy about the whole Newton situation, and the roots of the conspiracy can be traced to an old AtAT cast member, back from oblivion. Meanwhile, the debate over Quicktime 3.0 licensing rages on, and Netscape vents about Microsoft in an SEC filing...
Other scenes from that episode: 594: In Defense of Quicktime (4/3/98) The heated debate over Apple's Quicktime 3.0 license fees continues to rage; just take a look at MacInTouch's Quicktime page for a sample of the e-bile spreading over the net. Now that the most vocal detractors have had their say, we're starting to see some backlash... 595: Netscape's Red(mond) Ink (4/3/98) We'd have to guess that it's relatively rare for a large company to file a year-end 10-K report to the Securities and Exchange Commission with a section on competitive factors that focuses heavily on how one single corporation's actions are destroying its business...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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