Death Knell for OS/2 Client

[Jay Gibberman]

>>According to Stephen King at Warp Expo West speaking in front of 
>>approximately 100 people, Brad Wardell is wrong. No meeting took
>>place. It was canceled. He says he should know he is on the committee.
>
>Now *this* is reassuring.

He said it was canceled due to wether and would happen in two weeks.
Evidently the recent disaster caused flying in for the meeting to be difficult.

>Is that all?  Is that direct sales, or total?  I have a hard time
>believing it is this small since DB2 for OS/2 pulls in nearly this much
>by itself (or so I've got the impression - I don't have actual
>numbers).

He used a term which meant profit after expenses. It was a uniquely IBM
term. I do not recall the term. I was there to get some questions answered 
for my company, not as a reporter or I would have taken better notes. Sorry.

>>>If this were true, IBM would offer the client themselves.  They aren't.
>>
>>According to Mr. King there is an internal policy at IBM that they are
>>trying to have resended. The policy is that all client products must be
>
>Rescinded? [not intended as a spelling flame.]

My spelling is poor and I am dyslexic. I have many faults. Sorry. I mean 
that the policy must be suspended for a new Warp Client to be cost effective.

>>they can buy back, is to get around this restriction. They have also asked
>>for a dispensation IBM and Stardock is not the only company being considered.
>
>I'm not (that) choosy about *which* company it is.  :-)
>

Me either

>I never intended to present 10 vs 7.5 as fact, but merely as numbers to
>show a point - propaganda in any PR is rampant now as ever, and a
>critical (or cynical) mind may prevent you from being sucked into
>incorrect assumptions.  "Better than expected" depends on what
>expectations are, and is thus a meaningless statement in and of itself.

We agree. I can only report on what I was told. It is rather shocking to be
in a meeting where the speaker say Brad Wardell was wrong. Especially
if it is Steven King.

>>At the moment Aurora has announced support until December 2004.
>>Warp 5 if there is one, would be the Aurora code base. Steven King
>>says they have already made corporate commitments until 2005.

He announced December 2004. That is not bad in my estimation for
any software product at the moment.

>
>Sorta like how even after v5 of DB2 was released, we had one
>contractual commitment for v1 ...
>
>>>>	7) Nobody can answer one simple question for me:  What's in
>>>>it for IBM?
>>
>>The language issue restriction is the reason given by Mr. King.
>>
>>>>	9) For those who think OS/2 is dead (again - and again, and
>>>>again, and again......) get your buns to WarpStock.  See reality in
>>>>action.
>>>
>>>Compared to the size of a Linux user's *regional* meeting, I'm not sure
>>>I should be convinced.  It's nice to see, but, come on, let's get a
>>>grip here - is it really that big?
>>
>>I would contend that Linux takes a lot more hand holding for the average
>>user than does OS/2. But heck what do I know. I only was involved on the
>>original port of Xenix which was the first Unix variant to run on a micro computer.
>>Then again I would frankly rather run BSDI and am content with a command
>>line. I find people's love of Linux amusing. It's OK....I give it two shrugs. I also
>>find the need of people to advocate a particular operating system entertaining.
>>Use what you like for what you need.
>
>I like Linux because it is more likely, in the long term, to keep me
>off Windows.
>

I am glad there is more appreciation for Unix in any form now days.
Use what you need and what you like. In the course of a day I use
BSDI, Solaris, OS/2, and Win98. I only really wince when I run
windows but that is a personal prejudice. For now OS/2 has an
important place in my companies strategy and on my desktop. We
tend to use the operating system that is best for a particular situation.

Interesting discussion I though.

-Jay