PRESS RELEASE
NeXT ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO OBJECTIVE-C
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE FROM STEPSTONE
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--April 4, 1995--NeXT Computer, Inc. and The Stepstone Corporation today announced that NeXT has acquired all of Stepstone's rights in the Objective-C(TM) programming language and the Objective-C trademark. As part of this agreement, NeXT will license Stepstone to continue to market Stepstone's version of Objective-C software in its compiler products.
Objective-C is the premier C-based object-oriented programming language utilized in NeXT's highly-acclaimed NEXTSTEP software. Originally developed by Stepstone, and extended and enhanced by NeXT, Objective-C is gaining wider popularity through the success of NEXTSTEP. It is NeXT's intention to submit its Objective-C language specification to standards bodies, such as ANSI, for adoption as an open, industry-standard, object-oriented programming language.
"We are pleased to unify the Objective-C world, and plan on offering our Objective-C specification as an open, industry standard," said Steven P. Jobs, Chairman and CEO of NeXT Computer, Inc. "NeXT has the momentum in the object market to drive an open, Objective-C standard."
"Stepstone is very pleased that NeXT is taking the lead to make Objective-C an open, industry standard. We look forward to the standardization of the Objective-C language and the increased visibility of Objective-C that will result," said K.K. Tan, President of The Stepstone Corporation.
The Stepstone Corporation
Stepstone develops and markets object-oriented software components for use with the Objective-C language. Since 1983, Stepstone has been providing solutions for the development of software components and systems through the organization of data and procedures. Stepstone is headquartered in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
NeXT Computer, Inc.
NeXT develops and markets OpenStep, the industry's first and most advanced object environment. OpenStep versions have been announced which will run on several operating systems, including NeXT's own MachOS, Sun's Solaris, Digital's OSF/1 and Microsoft's Windows NT and Windows 95. OpenStep's object-oriented technology allows corporate customers to rapidly create and deploy three-tier, client-server, mission critical custom applications. NeXT is headquartered in Redwood City, California, and has offices in North America, London, Paris, Munich and Tokyo.
# # # #
NeXT, the NeXT logo, OpenStep and NEXTSTEP are trademarks or registered trademarks of NeXT Computer, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.