By Harley Hahn

There’s a riddle that goes: what do you get when you cross Apple and IBM? Up until this month, the answer was IBM, meaning that an Apple Computer Inc-IBM Corp collaboration would result in the attenuation of Apple as a separate entity. But now the premise of the riddle has become real and the question deserves a real answer. What do you get when you cross Apple and IBM? You get a better Apple, a better IBM, as well as two brand new companies. The announcement of October 2 is of overwhelming importance for two reasons. Firstly, IBM and Apple are large, powerful players. The fact that they are making so many agreements is significant in itself. Secondly, and more importantly, is the vision: if you read and listen closely, you will find a version of the future in which human beings have a new generation of tools for thought and for creation. This is a vision of awesome promise and transcends the new products and commercial considerations of either company.

(1) Watch for the PowerPC chips being used for small Unix-based personal workstations, faster than anything available today. Although IBM and Apple will sell such machines, there will definitely be other players.

(2) Keep one eye on Bill Fillip, IBM vice-president and general manager of the Advanced Workstation (RS/6000) Division. He is the point man for the next few years. Keep your other eye on the two people that are chosen to head the new multimedia and object companies, Kalieda Inc and Taligent Inc. These will be very important jobs.

(3) As work starts on the PowerOpen implementation of Unix for the desktop, it will become clear that the project will require massive amounts of highly skilled programming. Watch IBM form new alliances to help with the work. In particular, look for Interactive Systems to become part of the show.

(4) Do not forget Microsoft Corp. It has what is arguably the largest and best personal computing programming factory in the world. The company will shift gears and become a leader.

(5) Finally, watch Phil Hester, the visionary behind the RS/6000, become IBM’s hardware superstar of the 1990s (the superstar of the 1980s being Chet Heath). Hester’s name will be remembered long after Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Peter Norton, John Akers and John Sculley are forgotten. Harley Hahn is an independent consultant who follows IBM’s AIX closely