NeXTSTEP

NEXTSTEP

(operating system)

The original multitasking operating system that NeXT, Inc. developed to run on its proprietary NeXT computers (informally known as "black boxes"). NEXTSTEP includes a specific graphical user interface, an interface builder, object-oriented application builder, and several "kits" of prebuilt software objects such as the Indexing Kit for databases. This software runs on top of NeXT's version of the Mach operating system on NeXT, 486, Pentium, HP-PA, and Sun SPARC computers.

The official spelling changed from "NeXTstep" to "NeXTStep" to "NeXTSTEP", and finally "NEXTSTEP".

The last release of NEXTSTEP was 3.3, which NeXT then developed into "OpenStep".

TjL's Pages. Peanuts.

See also: GNUStep.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

NeXTSTEP

A Unix-based operating system originally designed by NeXT for the NeXT computer. NeXTSTEP was also ported to x86, Sun and HP workstations. Renamed OPENSTEP as of Version 4 in 1989, Apple later acquired the company, and the Mach microkernel used in OPENSTEP became the heart of Mac OS X. See OpenStep, Darwin, NeXT and Mac OS X.

Copyright © 1981-2025 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.