Despite Don Crabb's tired pontificating to the contrary, Apple is aiming the next version of the MacOS directly at its installed base of 20+ million users, not at potential new customers. MacOS 8, due in stores July 26, is Apple's latest attempt to reinvigorate the Mac faithful. The new release adds multitasking, Java support, Internet files sharing, contextual menus, keyboard shortcuts, pop-up windows, and other features that Windows users have taken for granted for years. MacOS 8 will be bundled with Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.01 and Netscape Navigator 3.01, as well as various updates to the QuickTime and QuickDraw APIs.
"We agonized about what to call Mac OS 8," said Peter Lowe, Macintosh operating system product manager. "But in the end we felt that adding features such as multitasking, enhancing the user experience, and making connection to the Internet easier justified a \[full "point-oh"\] version release."
Though the official rollout for MacOS is tomorrow, it will be a few days before it reaches stores. Upgrades are available for $30. The full version is priced at $99
