Apple, the multi OS company Had a *great* chat with Steve Rychly today, Apple's Higher Education Regional Manager for the Chicago area. Some key insights:
1) Apple's shift to a BSD back-end is a *major* strategic shift for the company. They've essentially become the computer to own for users who want a UNIX command prompt and full Office-compatiblity.
2) Apple's tiny market-share means they've become a multi OS company by necessity. Their consulting group will install any other vendor's services, if that's what the customer needs.

The tech world is splitting between single OS (Sun, Microsoft) and multi OS vendors (IBM, Apple). Unless .NET is wildly successful, multi OS vendors will win. (I also learned from a Microsoft rep that the company used to do focus groups and things, but abandoned all of that in about '96. She claimed they're starting that up again.)