Copland roll-out set to liven up lethargic Apple

Apple Computer is to begin releasing its Copland operating system in stages as part of its programme to pull itself out of financial hardship.

The first revision is codenamed Harmony and is due for release next year.

The practice of rolling out software in this manner is commonplace on the Internet and is known as 'dribbleware'.

Apple CEO Gil Amelio said the company was entering a period of growth and success. 'We are clearly in transition, but we are moving from a dialogue that has centred around survival to a dialogue that centres on excitement,' he said.

Apple has identified key Internet and video technologies, which the company feels are central to its future success.

The Copland OS is being released in pieces so that Apple can begin the process of updating its operating system without having to wait until the entire package has been developed. Analysts said that Apple is more than a year behind in the development of Copland.

Another of Amelio's aims is to make the Mac OS more compatible with Microsoft Windows, but he went on to say that no licensing agreement exists between the two companies with regard to Windows NT.