OSNews

Having worked at NeXT and Apple, we became the Enterprise Group and key individuals in Engineering and sales, this article needs some serious improvements on timelines, not to mention the valuation of the buyout of NeXT.

Including, this blurb:


By the fourth quarter of 1996, Apple posted a $25 million profit. Months later, Apple announced that it would by Steve Job's company, NeXT, for $430 million. NeXTSTEP would be the basis of the next Apple operating system, codenamed Rhapsody, marking the decline of Amelio's reign.


Clarifications: The merger was announced at the beginning of December 1996. Steve was asked to become a special consultant to Amelio--he was focused on PIXAR. It doesn't mention the fact NeXT was in IPO status. It claims it was the decline of Amelio's reign. Wrong. Flashforward to MacWorld 1997 and Gil's horrifically boring 3 plus hour keynote speech that spent nearly 45 minutes on the Apple Masters which included some dude with a Wallstreet Powerbook working in conjunction with his model airplanes.

We all at NeXT who were bussed over to MacWorld, wearing NeXT shirts and hats, were there as ambassadors and to answer any question regarding the NeXT offerings and what we do and how we will change/save Apple.

It doesn't mention Apple had 3 months of capital left to keep the doors open. Why would it mention that? He's just a kid who has no inside information on Apple.

It doesn't mention that Gil Amelio was leasing his private Jet to Apple at an astonishing $1500/mile. It doesn't mention that Executives were flying first class on Apple's payroll which was wasteful.

It doesn't mention how Amelio didn't streamline the company by consolidating 26 different marketing departments into 1 as when Steve came on as iCEO.

It doesn't reveal that Fred Anderson had already gotten a majority vote to oust Amelio and contacted Steve, who having grown tired of his visionary advice being ignored regarding Rhapsody (Openstep 4.2+) and no longer was even visiting Apple, drove over to Steve's house and personally offered a deal with him if he'd come back and help steer this company back to life. Steve insisted on interim-CEO. It was after two years of that title did he finally accept the full CEO title.

It doesn't mention Ellison's half-assed attempt to buy Apple was because he wanted to buy Apple in hopes to persuade Steve to come back and rebuild her.

Amelio had no vision. That was clear. He didn't know jack squat about Operating Systems, contrary to his past resume leading one to believe he did.

What he did know was that the technologies at NeXT were extremely robust, flexible and portable. He was sharp in his ability to assess his options. For that the man deserves the credit of listening to our in-house marketing manager who made the original call from NeXT to Apple and spoke with Gil and most importantly, Apple's former CTO who I only met twice during company functions--sharp dressed, highly intelligent and cordial woman who later I believe was CEO of Exodus or something.

The motivations for laying off the LARD at Apple that isn't discussed is the fact that ONE THIRD of Apple employees were up for Sabbatical. Steve canned the program which stoked the flames from folks who were bleeding the company for a paycheck but not actually interested in working with the new direction.

Many quit willingly once the Sabbatical program was canceled. Some folks had 12 weeks of full pay and wrote on the internal company website that the only reason they were still at Apple was to use that Sabbatical and look for another job at the same time.

Too f'in bad.

Most of the layoffs came from redundant jobs and trimming the wasteful spending in several departments.

The IT Department had over 500 employees, cost annually over $49 Million, wrote over 180 applications never sold to the mainstream market and were completely unsuitable for an Enterprise caliber corporate infrastructure that has been slowly moving toward since NeXT merged with Apple.

The Support in Austin was rated some of the worst by the Industry. Apple Support is now rated no 1. Lots of people got cut from that staff. Steve told everyone in Cupertino about his hairraising experience of trying to get support for a box he bought one of his children. It escalated to the point he demanded to speak to the manager in charge. The Manager was annoyed but became quite humble when the voice on the other end said, "This is Steve Jobs...."

That Manager got canned by the way.

Then it was hilarious when Amelio gets payed handsomely to leave, whines about how he saved Apple, goes on a book tour, etc., and to this day probably thinks he saved Apple. A humble man with ethics would have said he helped save Apple. Nope. Not Gil. That man was bleeding Apple any way he could.

I remember when Steve canceled all company personnel flight plans for first class. We all fly coach was his statement. Feel free to flit the bill for first class but it won't be reimbursed.

Steve personally went to several locations to find out what people actually did at Apple. If they didn't fit into the plans they were let go. He made the necessary cuts and as we have seen he has acquired some top talent to help Apple return stronger than before.

I left in 1998 when our Enterprise Team was mismanaged, but as everyone knows the Enterprise focus is just now becoming important once again. I still think the best two places I've worked are NeXT and Apple. The quality of staff is extremely rare. It's very relaxed, and filled with highly talented, skilled and imaginative people.

Beer bashes on fridays were always a nice touch.