SOUND OFF!

The purpose of this section is to provide a forum for our readers to voice their opinions and thoughts on issues related to OS/2. If you have an observation, concern, gripe or compliment regarding something, please feel free to send them to the OS/2 CONNECT editor for inclusion in this section, at: Title & Publisher or complete the form at the bottom of this page.

The opinions expressed in this section are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editor or publisher of OS/2 CONNECT. NOTE: Letters may be edited for inappropriate or offensive language.

FOLLOW-UP TO "I DON'T UNDERSTAND"

(In response to Rick Bradley's letter in the May issue, "I Don't Understand"), I agree with most of your statements. But many users would say that why should I wait for those features to come to OS/2 when I have WinNT today? Yes, OS/2 is faster, more compatible and robust than Windows but the issues that concern users are ease of setup, ease of maintainence, and rich features that are easy to access. Note the heavy use of the word EASY. I love how I continue to learn more about the power of Warp as I continure to use it. But, IBM needs to do a much better job at establishing the current application base before delving into Win32 full support of Win32 API's.

Keep in mind, it isn't just that easy to incorporate Win32 into a competing product. M$, isn't licencing Win32 like they did Win16. There is no SoftWindows 32 for Mac that can run Win32 apps because M$ will write software native for Macs. Instead of pushing IBM for Win32 support, we need to stress to the ISV's to not forget about us as a viable market. Yes, writing an OS/2 version of a popular game may raise the overhead so that it isn't cost-effective. But write the game in DOS so that we can run it there. We also need to support ISV's who are committed to OS/2 consumer markets. They can give us stuff that Win32 can't. Don't get me wrong. If IBM can successfully emulate Win32 like they can Win16 then I'll be the first in line for my upgrade. But it's better to have native software and I want programs to exploit OS/2 true power, the WPS. Warp 5 will come out next year. IBM is being tight-lipped about it's sexy features so maybe Win32 wil be there. But I like my Warp apps and I look for them before I look for Win32 stuff. M$ can keep their funky API while OS/2 still pushes the edge of technology. To IBM: Just make it as easy to install and maintain as Windows. You can do that so just do it.

- James Miller Adelphi, MD, USA

Rick Bradley (the author of the first letter) responds:

I guess I have just been around the block once too often, and have heard this type of talk before. I have lived through the CPM to DOS change, with side trips with CPM32 and USCD p-system (and a really good program called graphwriter). I went through the Z80 to Intel, with side trips in the MS-DOS machines that ran almost all the same software that the IBM PC did. I have dabbled with UNIX with BSD4.2 running a really neat application set by Applix called Alice that had an integrated spreadsheet, word processing, graphics and small data base. Features not offered on Intel machines for years. I also took a real hard look at the Lisa and dabbled with the MAC when nothing on the PC side of the world came close. I went through the conversions to Windows and dabbled with PC/GEOS and GeoWorks, a really nice integrated set of applications which offered a really nice graphic interface and ran well on, for that time, less than powerful machines. I am also now going through the Windows 3.x to NT/95 changeover.

In all of this I have discovered a few things

The best technology seldom wins. People go for what best meets what they think are their needs and will quickly stop buying something that is perceived to be orphaned. Case in point was Beta versus VHS. People opted for lower quality with longer record times. Bottom line is quit bleating about technical superiority and concentrate on making everyone sure that they won't be left out of the mainstream with OS/2.

Technology tends to finally settle onto a standard and that which doesn't meet the new standard quickly looses market share (but often takes years to die) or changes to meet the standard. Do you recall the Rainbow? The TI-99 family (including TI-990)? Bottom-line is adapt or die.

People's actual needs rarely have much to do with what they buy. Few people are doing much more with the latest hottest PC with greatest OS and most bloated application than they did with Word Perfect 4.2 or even Electric Pencil. Bottom-line is, don't try to tell people they don't really need some nifty new gadget. If it has mindshare, have it in your product.

Software vendors move in herds. Once there is a hint that a platform is not the future, most of the players will leave it faster than fleas leave a dead bird. They have to, as they depend on making a living by selling to the mainstream. Niche markets quickly die out as they get in a cycle, no new customers so no new software, no new software so lose customers, etc till you are left with the just the diehards who keep the Z80 and ADAM user groups going. So, just because you have a lot of software today, doesn't mean you will have any new releases next year. Bottom-line is you can't push ISVs to support a platform once it is perceived to be losing market share.

So to tie this into OS2, I approach this mostly from the server side as that is where my experience is, but much applies to the work station.

The U.S. Government mandates that if there are comparable products you have to do comparison shopping. If OS/2 ran NT & 95 software, with the benchmark being the Office 97 suite, then they will get a lot of business.

If OS/2 doesn't support full WIN32, the current lack of up to date software will get worse as it gets into the above mentioned cycle.

OS/2 has a lot of great features, shared applications, system management, advanced printing, CID, etc. that if were combined with full NT/95 support and some advertising would at least give Microsoft a run for its money. This would in turn cause a heck of a lot of sales of OS/2 and give OS/2 the public mindshare that NT has, and vendors will start writing software that takes advantage of OS/2 features. Witness what Netscape did to the software market. That would then force Microsoft to support OS/2 features just as they had to do for Netscape. Or an earlier example, remember the explosion of software and devices for the IBM PC? If OS2 gets popular, OS/2ers won't have to beg for ISV support, they would have to hide to get away from them.

Users have not yet gone to NT due to install problems and lack of support for much of the software. They will eventually, if not given a choice, so IBM has a little, very little time, to get its act together.

Microsoft and Novell have shifted their focus, or at least the public's perception of their focus to large businesses. Microsoft less so, but still they have shifted. This is understandable as sales folks get money from commissions and while sales to big companies take some more work, the pay off is much greater. So most sales folks go after the big bucks in one bundle and pay less attention to the smaller business that make up the majority of sales. OS/2 could easily be positioned as the small business choice, if it runs the standard applications that are coming out. IBM would have to form/dedicate an organization that sales to small companies and organizations. IBM could then sell OS/2 on how feature rich it is, including many of the tools you would have to from other vendors, thus a better buy. If this is also combined with the thin client, with subsequent ease of administration and reduced cost of ownership, it would sell well.
In a nutshell then, the perception of what is real is more important than the actual facts. If the buying public thinks that a product is dead, it's dead, no matter what the actual sales, commitment of the owing company or dedication of it's core supporters. Remember "Apple II forever"? If IBM doesn't do something dramatic to show that OS/2 is a living breathing product with a future you had better get off the stage as the fat lady is about to belt out that old familiar tune.

P.S. - The point I made about an Internet server appears to be OBE with announcement of IBM of a Internet server that you can download.

- Rick Bradley

WALK THE TALK

My concern is with the IBM/LOTUS merger. The fact that LOTUS has released SmartSuite 97 for Win95 but hasen't even finished yet the complete SmartSuite 96 for OS/2 just emphasizes the impression that IBM isn't truly standing behind OS/2! I don't believe it would be market-wise to introduce the OS/2 product first, but it would seem a strong statement to at least introduce them together. LOTUS wants to introduce OS/2 product one generation behind Win95 product??! One more thing, what's with IBM now selling entire model lines of PCs that you CANNOT get preloaded with OS/2 Warp? If IBM really wants to stand behind OS/2, they need to walk the talk!

- Neil Carter FRIGIDAIRE Home Products Jefferson, IA, USA

ATTENTION USERS OF SYTOS PREMIUM FOR OS/2 v2.1

For users that are having a problem getting Sytos 2.1 to work under Warp Server SMP, or have applied FixPak 22. Call Seagate Tech Support (407/531-7600) and TELL them to give the upgrade to version 2.2. Also, if Sytos is eating all the available threads, there are instructions on how to reduce CPU utilization of Sytos at: http://tech.smg.seagatesoftware.com/technote/15016.htm

I had to clear these barriers and thought I might save someone else's blood pressure.

- Chad Dailey

KUDOS

I have benefited from your releases time and time again, I really appreciate the information you provide and just wanted to take the opportunity to tell you Kudos, Keep up the great work, and please don't stop. One of the things I have noted in the past six months is the decline of OS/2 magazine presence on the Web. I commend you for hanging in there and have even referred IBM tech support to your page in times past.

- Charles Jefferson II Antioch, CA, USA

THANKS FROM A NEW USER

I just wanted to send you a quick little note and let you know I enjoy your writing. I'm not a veteran OS/2 user, in fact I'm fairly new to the OS/2 world. Thanks to people like you, I can read and gain valuable information, that helps me out alot. Thanks again, and keep up the good work.

- Mike Russon

FRUSTRATION WITH OS/2 APP SUPPORT

The biggest frustration with OS/2 is the lack of native application support. Even more frustrating is that IBM and Lotus don't even seem to find OS/2 important enough to release equivalent versions of their Windows applications within a reasonable period of time. SmartSuite 97 for OS/2 should be out within no more than three months of the Windows release and the announcement should be made at the time the Windows product is released so we don't have to sit around and wonder if we are ever going to be treated like anything more than second rate customers. IBM needs to buy market share by supporting (in a major way) application developers! Particularly the manufacturers of leading products. Why not lend IBM programmers to each company (with the exception of Microsoft) that produces the leading product in every major category of software. Give them the development tools and ask for nothing in return except continued maintenance of Windows equivalent native OS/2 products with release dates no longer than three months behind Windows versions. Forget short term profits until OS/2 and OS/2 applications gain some serious shelf space in local software stores. IBM needs to buy market share and when applications start rolling out IBM needs to support them by another strong and longer sustained advertising campaign on television, major computer magazines and the national newspapers like The Wall Street Journal. Also, get sound and video up to the capabilities of Windows, especially support for full duplex sound drivers.

- Douglas N. White Frye Electronics, Inc. Tigard, OR, USA

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