The Apple buyout of Power Computing's Mac OS license has the Macintosh community up in arms again, just weeks after the controversial alliance with Microsoft was announced at Macworld. We've been covering the Mac community long enough to realize that users are usually up in arms over something, so the latest uproar is hardly surprising. Indeed, it could have been predicted: open licensing was overwhelmingly supported by readers who responded to our recent Save Apple Survey, and by the community at large. While we won't deny the consternation the licensing issue has caused here, we're nevertheless dismayed at reports that Mac users are threatening to abandon the platform over it.

After years of watching Apple veer from one course to another, it should be obvious that the company is once again striking off in a new direction. The difference, this time, is that there really seems to be a genuine focus for change, and a strong commitment to transforming the company. Unfortunately, no one outside the inner sanctum knows exactly what the focus is, yet, and this uncertainty has revived the crisis atmosphere among the Mac's user base and developers. The company is moving with uncharacteristic swiftness and decisiveness, but to what end? Given the players involved, we believe other big changes are in the offing—including radically new designs, Network Computers and (we hope) some sort of Wintel-based product line, in addition to Macs. Whatever happens, it is certain the role of the Macintosh will change, both inside Apple and out.

Will it be a change for the better? If Apple survives, it will be. But it's hard to avoid concluding the Mac's role will be smaller, in any scenario. Still, if the Mac is to have a future at all, it is essential that Apple stop losing money and reverse its downward spiral. This is basically the justification the company offered in defense of the Power buyout, and we're inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt. Apple needs to move quickly to counter the latest round of bad public relations, though.

The licensing imbroglio is far from settled, even now. Apple had originally said it would not license OS 8, but has since issued licenses to Umax and Power (Power will continue to sell Macs through the end of the year). Motorola's licensing is still up in the air and rumors are rampant; the company is not shipping the first-ever Common Hardware Reference Platform product, the StarMax Pro 6000 (which, with Power's PowerTower Pro G3/275, won "Best of Show" at Macworld). It is unclear whether Power will ship the G3.

The original purpose of licensing, of course, was to grow the Mac market. Licensing was marginally successful at this, although Apple claims fewer than one percent of Power Computing customers were new to the Mac. We would have preferred to see licensing expanded, as most of the Mac community would have. If Apple had been able had been able to sign up even one blue-chip PC manufacturer—IBM was the logical candidate—licensing might really have taken off. Now, even though licensing will probably continue in some reduced form, it's not a likely avenue for growth, at least not near-term. (Umax may sell a ton of Macs in China some day.)

Power's reputation for innovation and its in-your-face marketing should give it a real shot in the PC market, and we wish the company well. (Editor's Note: the company didn't make a dent in the PC market and soon succumbed; the Mac market is once again closed.) In the meantime, we would urge angry Mac owners to relax a bit, enjoy life and wait for Apple's next move(s). The rules may have changed, but the game is far from over.

(Reviewed September 7, 1997)