Ellison: Apple close to new CEO and NCs

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, who was curiously absent at the anti-Microsoftconference held this week by Ralph Nader, announced Thursday that AppleComputer's search for a CEO is almost over. Ellison is a member of Apple'sboard of directors and his comments were made at a Silicon Valley assembly.

"We're getting close," said Ellison, "We have someone we like very much. No, I can't tell you who it is."

When asked whether that person was Steve Jobs, Ellison said he didn't thinkso.

"I'm almost positive that he is not," he said.

Ellison also revealed his vision for Apple as a supplier of Network Computers (NCs) based on the Mac OS. Ellison said that the Mac OS, not Rhapsody, was key to Apple's future.

"They have a better shot at [being successful with Network Computers] thananybody else," Ellison said.

In other Apple news, a company spokesperson squashed rumors that Oracle wasplanning to buy or merge with Apple Computer.

"We made the announcements we intended to make," said the spokesperson. "We're not going to comment on the rumors floating out there. It's gettingold."

Regardless, there are numerous reports that Apple and Oracle employees wereflown in to Cupertino from around the world or told to watch the announcement on video as it happened. After the press conference ended, an hour earlier than originally scheduled, many Apple and Oracle employeeswere confused about the secrecy of the event, saying, "Was that it?" Mosthad expected something more incredible than Apple's new Macs and onlinestore