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So Apple needed a partner, one that could make a stable operating system,
所以苹果需要一个合作伙伴提供稳定的操作系统，
preferably one that was UNIX-like and had an object-oriented application layer.
最好还是像Unix那样的操作系统，具备面向对象的应用程序。
There was one company that could obviously supply such software -- NeXT,
当时，有一家公司显然可以提供这样的软件，NeXT，
but it would take a while for Apple to focus on it.
但是还要过一段时间苹果才会关注到这一点。
Apple first homed in on a company that had been started by Jean-Louis Gassée, called Be.
苹果先是锁定了一家由让-路易·加西创建的公司Be。
Gassée began negotiating the sale of Be to Apple, but in August 1996 he overplayed his hand at a meeting with Amelio in Hawaii.
加西开始探讨把Be卖给苹果，但是1996年8月在夏威夷跟阿梅里奥开会时，他过于自以为是了。
He said he wanted to bring his fifty-person team to Apple, and he asked for 15% of the company, worth about $500 million.
他说他想带50人的团队加入苹果，要公司15%的股杈，价值大约5亿美元。
Amelio was stunned. Apple calculated that Be was worth about $50 million.
阿梅里奥听罢目瞪口呆。苹果当时对Be的估值只有5000万美元。
After a few offers and counteroffers, Gassée refused to budge from demanding at least $275 million.
经过几番讨价还价，加西无法接受低于2.75亿美元的报价。
He thought that Apple had no alternatives.
他以为苹果没有其他选择了。
It got back to Amelio that Gassée said, "I've got them by the balls, and I'm going to squeeze until it hurts."
加西对别人说，“我拿住了他们的要害，我要一直捏到他们疼为止。”
