[3178] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
IBM: Clarification of Comments by IBM's Bill Etherington
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Timothy Sipples)
Sun Jul 13 02:57:21 1997
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 13 Jul 1997 00:02:00 -0400
From: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy Sipples)
Reply-To: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy Sipples)
Reply-to: tsipple@us.ibm.com (Timothy Sipples)
[Followups directed to comp.os.os2.misc]
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I've received several inquiries regarding press articles which appeared as a
result of comments made by IBM's Bill Etherington at a recent conference in
Monaco. A German wire service reported Mr. Etherington's comments, and the
wire service story was picked up (and then often misinterpreted) by other
press reporters.
Mr. Etherington, while acknowledging that Windows 95 has enjoyed success in
the consumer marketplace, did NOT indicate that IBM would withdraw OS/2 Warp
from consumer sales or otherwise, as some press stories have reported.
He did say:
"IBM is firmly committed to OS/2 Warp as the most reliable, scalable
desktop operating system for enterprise and professional users."
He also said:
"We are continuing to invest heavily in OS/2 Warp to extend its
capabilities to the Internet and Intranets as an example of the
implementation of our network computing strategy."
Indeed, most press articles quoted Mr. Etherington accurately, but many drew
the erroneous conclusion (not supported by Mr. Etherington's comments, and not
contained between quotation marks) that IBM plans to withdraw OS/2 Warp in
some fashion.
In short, IBM is primarily focused on marketing OS/2 Warp to business and
enterprise users. (The same statement would apply to virtually all of IBM's
product line.) Most development will be focused on continuing to strengthen
OS/2 Warp's network computing features, including Java, TCP/IP, Lotus Domino,
Netscape Communicator, etc., because OS/2 Warp users are telling us to expend
most (not all!) of our efforts in these areas. We want OS/2 Warp users to be
full (if not best) participants in the world of network computing. However,
"primarily focused" does NOT mean exclusively focused, and IBM has no plans
whatsoever to withdraw OS/2 Warp as a shrinkwrap product (available in
quantity one).
IBM is working with the wire service and hopes they will issue a clarification
to their subscribers.
IBM's electronic newsletter, "OS/2 Warp FM," Flash No. 30, includes further
information on IBM's statements to the press regarding OS/2 Warp and network
computing. For more information on OS/2 Warp, please visit the OS/2 Warp home
page at http://www.software.ibm.com/os/warp.
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