GoBE Productive To Buy BeOS?
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 22nd Jan 2008 11:14 UTC
BeOS & Derivatives Does anyone remember GoBE Productive? The BeOS boys and girls among us will certainly do. Well, with money from India, they're back. "Backed by new investors, a new team and deeper pockets, GoBe Productive is now back with a vengeance promising to shake up the Office space. Blue Lotus Software Solutions, the new company founded by a clutch of new investors and with equity participation by GoBe Corporation, has launched the product again from India." They will initially offer a Windows version, but a Mac and Linux version (using Java) are on the horizon. There is a more interesting bit at the end of the article, though: "Blue Lotus is already planning for its next foray and is negotiating to buy out the BEOS operating system from the promoters of BE Inc, which was the original owner of GoBe Productive, but were driven to bankruptcy as they were unable to compete with Microsoft." In fact: "We are in discussions to acquire the BEOS and hope to close the deal soon." Since I ate eggs this morning for breakfast, my jar of salt is still on the kitchen top, and most likely for the better: someone should call these guys and tell them that most likely, no one will answer the phone in Menlo Park. Instant update: More on the re-launch of GoBE Productive. The GoBE website sees no updates. Update II: My remark concerning phone answering in Menlo Park may be off the mark: welcome the corporate promoter, which, in this case, could refer to Access.
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RE: Why bother with BeOS?
by Touvan on Tue 22nd Jan 2008 15:44 UTC in reply to "Why bother with BeOS?"
Touvan
Member since:
2006-09-01

I don't think it's stupid, but they'd need to do some things right. First, they'd have to tie it to hardware (Operating Systems are sold with hardware - almost exclusively - why don't business people get that?)

Second, they'd need to have good marketing to sell that hardware - and a good suite of programs (this is essentially what Apple has been doing).

If it were me, I'd try to figure out how to target gamers, but BeOS isn't really ready for that.

Reply Parent Score: 3

RE[2]: Why bother with BeOS?
by Thom_Holwerda on Tue 22nd Jan 2008 15:45 in reply to "RE: Why bother with BeOS?"
Thom_Holwerda Member since:
2005-06-29

Operating Systems are sold with hardware - almost exclusively - why don't business people get that?


Because the company that decoupled those is now the biggest and most successful software company in the world?

Reply Parent Score: 2

RE[3]: Why bother with BeOS?
by makc on Tue 22nd Jan 2008 15:57 in reply to "RE[2]: Why bother with BeOS?"
makc Member since:
2006-01-11

add "... because they tied in OEM vendors" and it'll be fine ;)

Reply Parent Score: 3

RE[3]: Why bother with BeOS?
by Touvan on Tue 22nd Jan 2008 22:20 in reply to "RE[2]: Why bother with BeOS?"
Touvan Member since:
2006-09-01

That's all fine and dandy, but they did that through OEM contracts. Fact is, they still sell their Operating System, almost exclusively, tied with hardware - just like I said previously. :-)

BTW, mentioning their decoupling, strengthens my position, because MS abuses their monopoly position to keep alternatives off of the machines of those very same OEMs (admittedly, that position has weakened ever so slightly in the last few years).

As far as I can tell, the only way to take on a company like that is through lobbying oversight bodies (governments). If you really wanted to take them on in the private sector, Apple's model seems to be the only way to go. If you can't get OEMs to use your alternative product, you'd have to be your own OEM (and I don't mean to say you need to be as locked down as Apple often is, that's all them).

Reply Parent Score: 4

RE[2]: Why bother with BeOS?
by cpiral on Wed 23rd Jan 2008 07:04 in reply to "RE: Why bother with BeOS?"
cpiral Member since:
2006-04-19

Why worry about hardware in the coming age of Transparent Paravirtualization? http://www.vmware.com/interfaces/paravirtualization.html

Reply Parent Score: 1