[Am-info] What is OS2 called now? [a bit OT]

[madodel@ptdprolog.net]

The newest version from IBM is called MCP1(Merlin Convenience Pack 1),
reports itself as OS/2 4.51 but isn't available as a stand alone purchase,
even though it is a complete installable version.  You have to have a Warp
4 license  and then purchase IBM's Software Choice Subscription
http://service.boulder.ibm.com/asd-bin/doc/en_us/catalog.htm  IBM went out
of their way to make it as difficult as possible to continue to run OS/2.

The other (and in my opinion better) option is eComStation which is an OEM
version of the MCP1 from Serenity Systems.  You can buy it as an upgrade
to Warp 4, or as a complete version which includes a Warp 4 license.  They
throw in a lot of software, the most useful of which is Lotus Smart Suite
for OS/2 1.6.  Web site is http://www.ecomstation.com but they only sell
through distributors, not directly.  Best of all they actually give a
damn.

For a general history you can see David Both's History of OS/2 article in
the VOICE Newsletter -
http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL0797H/vnewsf.htm#WarpGuru

There is also a more recent series that goes into depth about each version
of OS/2 released since the first.  It's only up to OS/2 2.0 so far though:
An OS/2 History Lesson: The Beginnings of OS/2 -
http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL1001H/vnewsf4.htm An OS/2
History Lesson - The Early Years -
http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL0901H/vnewsf4.htm An OS/2
History Lesson - Ten years ago -
http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL0801H/vnewsf4.htm An OS/2
History Lesson: OS/2 2.0
http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL1101H/vnewsf4.htm

Status is that IBM has been looking for a way to dump OS/2 since microsoft
released win95.  I have an IBM strategy document from 1998 which very
bluntly states they wanted to find an exit strategy that cost them the
least amount of money and pissed off the fewest of their large customers. 
Unfortunately too many of their biggest customers had bought into IBM's
"OS/2 is the future", and actually used it for some really mission
critical applications, like ATM's, optical check processing equipment,
cruise missles.  Stuff that you wouldn't want to see a blue screen on.  So
IBM promised them 10 years of support.  That runs out in 2006, but IBM has
stated that they will continue to support OS/2 on a contract basis beyond
that if necessary.  But they go out of their way to thwart any new
development.  Initially they tried to get everyone to switch to Java, but
that sucked so bad on the client people resisted.  They had even tried to
develop something called JavaOS, but that was abandoned.  So they stopped
development on all development tools for OS/2.  Though we now have Open
Watcom to develop with, as well as some freeware tools.  They keep wearing
down the OS/2 community, but some of us just won't give up.  Almost all
OS/2 development today is freeware and a lot is porting opensource
applications from *NIX.  IBM itself is still developing drivers for OS/2,
but almost all the new stuff is now only available through Software
Choice.  There is pretty good generic USB support, but unfortunately most
cameras and all scanners don't follow any standard.  There are a couple
annual OS/2 events - Warpstock and Warpstock Europe where OS/2 users get
together and find out what's new.  There is a report about Warpstock 2001
by myself at http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL1101H/vnewsf1.htm
that covers IBM's current plans for OS/2, and another article that talks
about driver and some other development at
http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL1101H/vnewsf5.htm 

IBM now touts Linux, though they still love windoze cause it generates
tons of service revenue and sells more hardware then is needed. 
Personally I believe the links between microsoft and IBM should have been
looked at a lot more closely during the m$-USDOJ trial.  The IBM PC
company was downright hostile to OS/2.  Other IBM divisions were anti-OS/2
as well, and it's been years since you can buy an IBM pc with OS/2
preloaded, despite the fact that it is their own operating system.  There
was definitely the stench of a rat in the air coming from Armonk.  

Mark

In <3BE98033.98422B34@emory.edu>, on 11/07/01 at 12:40 PM,
   "Stuart J. Hysom" <shysom@emory.edu> said:

>I have heard on the list that OS2 is now available, but under another
>name. Something like estation, but I can not remember exactly.

>Would like more info, i.e., name if the OS, links to history of the OS
>and what its status is currently (Is IBM involved anymore?) etc.  Long
>ago I used OS/2, and I want find out what is going on in that community
>these days.

>Thanks,


-- 

 From the OS/2 Desktop of: Mark Dodel

  "The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic State itself.   That in it's essence, is Fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group or by any controlling private power." Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Message proposing the Monopoly Investigation, 1938 

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