I love the Internet as an amazing tool for learning. Dale told us about students podcasting down-under. The Internet community encyclopedia, Wikipedia shows the value of collaborative education. And yes, even YouTube has worked to inform us with viral videos and user comments.
It was on YouTube that I found this 35 minute video. It’s a rare video of a young Steve Jobs giving a demo of the NeXTSTEP operating system.
If you don’t know about the history of NeXT Computer, it’s the computer company founded by Steve Jobs, when he and Apple parted ways in the mid-80s. You can read about the history of NeXT Computer on Wikipedia, it’s an interesting read.
To me, what’s more interesting when you watch the video, is how much of NeXTSTEP is in OS X. I know, I know, Mac OS X is based on NeXTSTEP, but if you consider that this video is from circa 1995, I hate to say it, but I’m really feeling gipped!
Yes, we have a much better GUI with Aqua, I’m sure the underpinnings are improved in many ways, and the amazing iLife line of apps that OS X offers were nowhere to be found (perhaps because NeXTSTEP was legally required not to compete in the graphics design arena?). But when it comes down to it, so much of what existed some 11 years ago works the same way today.
I’m sure I’m going to get in trouble for writing this, but I’ll ask it anyways—Where’s the innovation since NeXTSTEP Apple?
Take a look at the video and tell us all what you think by commenting below. Discussing this kind of stuff is what our Mac community is all about, right?