Re: [Thinkpad] What is OS/2?

Knock off your operating system war randle. -- You're analysis is about 5
years out of date. You also missed the proint-- if you don't know what
you are talking about -- and you don't -- you ought to shut up until you
do.

In <5.1.0.14.0.20040430121846.041212f8@pop3.collegeplansolutions.com>, on
04/30/2004
   at 12:24 PM, Randal Whittle <rwhittle@usa.net> said:

>At 02:23 PM 4/30/2004 -0400, you wrote:
>>Hey, lets tone it down
>>And it's ME saying that (who would have thought!)

> <Grin!> That is a little ironic, isn't it Bruce? ;-)

>>There is no place for personal attacks here, and that is exactly what that
>>diatribe is. Keep it on a higher level please.

> Its okay Bruce. I just gave what I believe (and many follow-up
>posts have agreed) was a relatively impartial, unemotional explanation of
> what OS/2 was, along with a brief history.

> The other person there can get excited and splash around some
>4-letter words, but that's to be expected when he's around 14 years old.
>Cut him a little slack.

>- Randy

>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: <eletourneau@verizon.net>
>>To: <thinkpad@stderr.org>
>>Sent: Friday, April 30, 2004 1:47 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] What is OS/2?
>>
>>
>> >
>> > No Randal -- Using OS2 does not mean you have to learn everything new, or
>> > use "off-brand "alternatives" software. -- We just had a thread where most
>> > people thought if you don't really know what you are talking about -- you
>> > ought to be quite. Now you are doing just that.
>> >
>> > Frankly, I don't care what the list owner thinks or if he throws me off
>> > the list -- because you don't know what you are talking about -- and you
>> > need to zip it -- since **you are trying to start an operating system war.
>> > And its not the first time you have done this.
>> >
>> > Now I will answer the poster questions via email later this weekend. In
>> > the mean time, I suggest you do some homework and zip it until its
>> > complete.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > In <5.1.0.14.0.20040430100033.0411ab08@pop3.collegeplansolutions.com>, on
>> > 04/30/2004
>> > at 10:18 AM, Randal Whittle <rwhittle@usa.net> said:
>> >
>> > >At 04:35 PM 4/30/2004 +0200, you wrote:
>> > >>I am intrigued by this OS/2. I would be interested in hearing an
>>impartial
>> > >>(if that is possible) assessment of its status, availability, usability
>> > >>etc. from a current user.
>> >
>> > > Alban, I think its safe for me to say that if you don't know
>> > >what OS/2 *is*, then you probably don't have the inkling & technical
>> > >acumen to tweak it for your use.
>> >
>> > > In a nutshell, if you go back in PC history about 12 to 15 years
>> > > ago, OS/2 was supposed to be the "next" operating system to replace DOS,
>> > > and was being co-developed by Microsoft and IBM. Somewhere along that
>> > >time, MS started having some success with Windows, which at that time was
>> > > just a shell that sat on top of DOS. So MS really started to pursue it,
>> > > and eventually that ticked off IBM because they were pursuing Windows at
>> > > the expense of OS/2. So they parted ways, and IBM took over total
>> > >ownership of OS/2 development.
>> >
>> > > The rest is a mix of possibly illegal business practices,
>> > >marketing strategies, and garnering of market support from developers
>> > >that were ultimately more willing to code software for Windows than for
>> > >OS/2.
>> >
>> > > In the end, the reason you're asking "What is this OS/2" while
>> > >you are thoroughly familiar with Windows tells you who won. But OS/2
>> > >still exists among a small cadre of users and enterprises who just love
>> > >it. If you're willing to delve into a technical world where you tap
>> > >those resources and figure out all the odd stuff to make it work for you
>> > >(for instance, you won't find many major well-known software packages
>> > >that are written for OS/2--i.e., Office, ACT!, E-mail software's &
>> > >etc.--but you will find off-brand "alternatives" for these things), then
>> > >you just might like it.
>> >
>> > > But be aware, it'll be a little like learning a whole new
>> > >language--and you won't have many people to speak that language with.
>> >
>> > >>- How do you obtain it?
>> > >>- How much does it cost?
>> >
>> > > IBM...or some other vendor that administers that
>> > >now. Cost? Somewhere around $100?
>> >
>> > >>- How long does installation take?
>> >
>> > > An hour or two, just like Windows--a lot more to tweak it to
>> > >your satisfaction.
>> >
>> > >>- What hardware is supported? Drivers?
>> >
>> > > Used to be very little--which was part of its downfall. But
>> > >that's largely been corrected (a little too late). Even still, if you go
>> > > buy a new scanner today, chances are slim that you'll be able to get an
>> > >OS/2 driver for it. If you use a ThinkPad (likely, since you are on this
>> > > list), then OS/2 support is quite complete--far more so than any other
>> > >notebook computer.
>> >
>> > >>- Is it still maintained?
>> >
>> > > Pretty much. Thanks to fiercely loyal users.
>> >
>> > >>- Compatibility with mainstream file systems (FAT16, FAT32, NTFS)?
>> >
>> > > Not NTFS--not sure about FAT32. Definitely OK with FAT16.,
>> >
>> > >>- Can I run all or most software on it that I currently use (e.g. WinEdt
>> > >>and Latex, Mozilla, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, MS Office, NI
>> > >>LabView, Microcal Origin, DVD burning software, etc.)?
>> >
>> > > Ahh, there's the rub. *IF* you can run most of this stuff, it
>> > >will be in "Windows Compatibility Mode"--which basically means you're
>> > >using OS/2 to run Windows to run your software. Its slow and klunky and
>> > >(I believe) makes it not worthwhile. You'll need to find and run native
>> > >OS/2 apps. if you really want to benefit from using OS/2. On this list
>> > >you made, Mozilla can be had native, and maybe an older version of
>> > >Acrobat (?). I'm sure there's some kind of burning software.
>> >
>> > > Other than that...the reason Windows "won" the war was because
>> > >the mainstream developers that make software in the list of apps that
>> > >most people use chose (or were coerced) to develop for Windows, not
>> > >OS/2. Some tried to do both, but that didn't last long.
>> >
>> > > OS/2 had great potential. Unfortunately, no OS stands as an
>> > >island. The only users it has left are the enterprise users that have an
>> > > installed system application that must continue to be supported (or
>> > >changed at great cost to something else), and individual fanatics who
>> > >love its technology and hate the probably illegal methods Microsoft used
>> > >to defeat it with Windows.
>> >
>> > > For those fanatics, continuing to use OS/2 is in part a symbolic
>> > > protest vote against Microsoft (but its also like voting for Ross
>> > >Perot--it doesn't change anything and your vote is still wasted).
>> >
>> > >- Randy

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Received on Sat May 1 08:29:29 2004