BE DOPE NEWS (BDN) Sources inside Be, Inc. have confirmed the rumor that their historic lunchroom couches will soon be replaced.

"We truly appreciate all the couches have contributed to Be," said Be, Inc. CEO Jean-Louis Gassée. "And this decision is not easy, as we have all become quite attached to the couches. Too attached at times - last week I went to a meeting off-site and had to explain why pieces of couch stuffing kept falling out of the folds of my clothing. Just yesterday, an engineer required surgery to remove a piece of slipcover that had attached itself to his leg."

The Be lunchroom couches, purchased for a total of $10, is where many of the revolutionary ideas that went into the BeOS (and according to rumor several children of Be engineers) were conceived. Be is far from abandoning the couch concept, and is investigating options for their replacement.

"We're not sure exactly what will take the couches' place," said a Be spokesperson. "Patio furniture and inflatable furniture have been discussed, as they both are easy to hose off. We're also looking at traditional fabric couches."

So what will become of the old couches?

"That hasn't been decided. We've had calls from The Tech, the Smithsonian and The Computer Museum in Boston. But we're seriously considering offering the couches up for auction on eBay - giving BeOS enthusiasts the chance to own a piece of Be history, and anything else they might find between the cushions. But if they find the intern we lost last summer, we'd like him back."

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