[3626] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
IBM's Official Response To ZD Story
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Timothy Sipples)
Mon Dec 1 00:57:52 1997
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 01 Dec 1997 00:01:00 -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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[11/26/97] - IBM Offical Response To ZD Story
We believe it is necessary to respond to the misleading article that was
published on various Ziff-Davis web sites regarding OS/2. The story takes an
internal announcement at IBM about a new division, in which OS/2 plays a
significant role and paints a negative story toward OS/2. This is far from
correct. As we've stated for well over one year, OS/2 will continue to be
positioned as a network computing operating system within IBM's overall
network computing and e-business strategy.
During 1997, IBM enhanced both the OS/2 client and server products and also
created an entirely new offering, WorkSpace On-Demand. As was stated to the
reporter, IBM will continue to enhance the OS/2 product line during 1998.
This involves additions to both the client and server product, an entirely
new version of OS/2 Warp Server and also an update of WorkSpace On-Demand.
Also, as was stated to the reporter, the vast majority of the employees will
continue work on the same projects that they were doing prior to the
announcement of the new division. Stating that IBM is moving a number of OS/2
managers and developers into new positions is completely inaccurate. During
the announcement of the new division, IBM named Donn Atkins, former VP of
Marketing for OS/2 as the new General Manager of the OS/2 business unit. The
former General Manager for OS/2, Michael Lawrie, is the General Manager for
the newly created division. Again, the day-to-day activities of most employees
will be unchanged.
IBM now has two focused organizations within its Software Group: the new
Network Computing Software Division and the Software Solutions Division
headed by Steve Mills. The two organizations within IBM Software will bring
competitive, functional and integrated solutions to the market. The Software
Solutions team will focus on the higher-level transaction processing,
database, middleware and packaged servers. This team will place a greater
emphasis on packaging server software into easy-to-use products, and focus on
distributed systems and tools where there is a huge opportunity. The Network
Computing Software division will focus on our Java initiatives, network
infrastructure technologies and OS/2 products that support e-business. This
brings together our Java team, and the Networking Software (NS) and Personal
Software Products (PSP) organizations.
This is what was announced when forming the new division and this is how
the news should be seen.
Donn Atkins
General Manager for OS/2
IBM Corporation
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