Next Makes Deal With H-P; Still No Risc-Based Nextstep?

NeXT Inc., the software house that rose from the ashes of hardware vendor NeXT Computer Inc., late last week announced a series of agreements with hardware vendors to distribute its NeXTstep operating system software. Among the vendors coming to terms with NeXT is Hewlett-Packard Co.

However, though H-P says it will certify that its hardware can run NeXTstep, it will not go so far as to install the operating system. Meanwhile, an H-P spokesperson says it remains unclear whether only H-P's PC