[3815] in comp.os.os2.announce archive
TEAMOS/2: Future of OS/2
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael McLagan)
Sun Feb 15 00:37:33 1998
To: os2ann.DISCUSS@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU
Date: 15 Feb 1998 00:01:00 -0500
From: mmclagan@invlogic.com (Michael McLagan)
Reply-To: Michael.McLagan@invlogic.com (Michael McLagan)
Reply-to: Michael.McLagan@invlogic.com (Michael McLagan)
Submitted by: mmclagan@invlogic.com (Michael McLagan)
[Followups directed to comp.org.team-os2]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
As all of you have done, I took the time to read the EDM/2 interview with
IBM's OS/2 people. Everyone has drawn the same conclusion, that IBM is
completely disinterested in SOHO or single user use of OS/2. To those of us
who have been using OS/2 since it's early years, this is just short of a
crushing blow.
Various proposals have been put forth, here and in other forums, what
should be done in the face of our being dismissed by IBM. Some have been
discussed in small groups, but lack widespread acceptance. The most widely
discussed idea is to have IBM license a version to an ISV.
The transference of OS/2 for SOHO from IBM to any single vendor will not
serve the community of users. A number of OS/2 ISVs have proven that they
are not interested in OS/2 unless it turns them a tidy profit. Far too many
OS/2 ISVs have abandoned OS/2 and it's users. Popular OS/2 applications
have been either forgotten or back burnered. What would become of an OS/2
turned over to an ISV? The idea scares me out of my wits.
EDM/2: What is IBM's target market for OS/2? Please define what IBM means
by "enterprise", "medium enterprise" and "large enterprise".
IBM: We are targeting medium to large enterprises with OS/2. We classify
a medium-sized enterprise as a company with 200 - 2,000 employees
and a large enterprise as a company with over 2,000 employees. Our
traditional strength lies with both the banking and insurance
industries. We will continue to target those key industries, while
also working to expand our market share in other vertical
industries.
Herein lies the problem which has so many of us troubled. IBM has said
that it is only interested in talking to larger groups of users, with whom
it can arrange bulk contracts, create single points of contact and do
business in which they can put forth solutions. Within that very same quote
from EDM/2, however, we find a gem which can become our solution to this
"crisis" we are facing.
Without going into specifics of our plans at this time, I am going to say
that Team OS/2 is going to work towards that solution. Starting February
16th, we will be collecting information about OS/2 users worldwide. You
will be able to visit our website(s) (http://www.teamos2.org and
http://www.teamos2.com) and provide information about your use of OS/2, as
well as the types of systems which it is installed on.
The web site will feature forms to obtain a member ID, enter information
about your computer systems, the types of software you use, enhancements in
the system you would like to see, and software programs that you would like
written/ported to OS/2. We will gather this information as part of our plan
to approach IBM as a cohesive group. Details will be provided to everyone
at the time of their signing up.
We are working now to create a database of the varieties of hardware and
software that are available so they will be available for choices on the web
site as part of the information gathering phase. If you can contribute a
list of video cards, sound cards, or other gadgets which can be attached and
used with OS/2, please send a message to webmaster@teamos2.org with your
lists. We will incorporate them into the forms on the website.
Michael McLagan
Team OS/2 Online
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