Re: [Thinkpad] What is OS/2?

Wow, I do think it is time for an unsubscribe. (Listening Elijah?)
----- Original Message -----
From: <eletourneau@verizon.net>
To: <thinkpad@stderr.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 8:19 AM
Subject: 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 years out of date.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 17:15:16 2004