https://www.zdnet.com/article/be-stings-microsoft-with-lawsu...
> Be outlines its tortured history of trying to get its operating system included on machines from major computer makers, most notably Compaq Computer and Hitachi.
> Be said that in September 1998, Hitachi verbally committed to loading the BeOS alongside Windows on a line of PCs. Be had planned to offer software that would easily let computer owners choose between the two operating systems, but said it was notified by Hitachi in November 1998 that Microsoft's licensing deal with Hitachi effectively prevented such an approach.
> Although Hitachi eventually sold some PCs with the BeOS loaded on the hard drive, Be said the operating system had to be started from a floppy disk, and the machines bore no indication that they even came with the operating system.
Zero chance of any enforcement.
It's kind of hilarious seeing hacker news report on what the EU does. "Can you believe these ridiculous requirements" says Hacker News.
Yes. Yes I can believe that
For those too young to remember, this is what the anti-trust case against Microsoft was actually about. Internet Explorer, while important, was just a small part of the Microsoft's monopolistic practice of absolutely fucking over developers, other OSes (including Linux) and consumer choice. It's mildly infuriating now to hear about the bad old Microsoft not being allowed to give end users the best browser available, knowing that was just the tip of the iceberg.
https://web.archive.org/web/20131109045719/http://www.intern...
Sad, I used BeOS full time for a few glorious months right after the Intel pivot. Reminded me of my Amiga days.
But I also used GoBe Productive, which is by far the nicest office suite I've tried.
And playing music, back then it was the only OS that could play an MP3 without skipping while you used the computer for something else.
If you haven't you should check it out.
It without all the X and Wayland mess it's a good alternative for an operating system.
0: https://bebits.irixnet.org/beos/docs/DR8/UserDoc/DR8UsersGui... "The pin-out for the logic probe interface is available upon request from Be, Inc. Be can supply a card and analyzer set-up libraries that connect the CPU bus to an HP 1660A."
1: http://testou.free.fr/www.beatjapan.org/mirror/www.be.com/de...
https://www.beunited.org/bebook/
The Nike store on 57th street in Manhattan was powered by a BeBox. I forget if it ever actually worked. The original developer was replaced by Kandu and I remember them thinking it was trouble. Kandu was famous for hating anything more complex than MS-DOS. We worked on a project where they claimed to have rewritten most of DOS.
I reviewed BeOS 5 at the time:
archive.org/details/PersonalComputerWorldMagazine/PCW%20200007%20July%20Created%20From%20PCW%20Cover%20CD%20%28No%20Cover%29/page/n50/mode/1up
Still, I think I played with BeOs 5 somehow. I was in high school at the time, and already was familiar with Linux (Ukrainian black cat Linux). I think my curiosity made my career in IT progress much faster. I even was compiling Linux kernel once, which was considered a top achievement at the time.
Good times.
doener•8mo ago