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 OD-90228                         SUGGESTION                       "PRIDE"-IF
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 JUN 16, 1997                   RELEASE  1.2.0                        PAGE  1

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       *                  MI-10001 WIN32 API SUPPORT                  *
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 REQUIRED DATE- OPEN          USER PRIORITY WEIGHT-  50    RANKING-  0016
 DATE RECEIVED- APR 16, 1997  REQUEST STANDING  - REVIEW   AS OF- JUN 16, 1997
                              TYPE- MOD/IMP

 DESCRIPTION-

        PRODUCT:  OS/2 Warp 4 and OS/2 Warp Server
        AREA:     Base operating system
        WHO:      End-users concerned with productivity

        Provide full Win32 support in the base operating system to
        allow all Windows 95 and NT programs to execute on OS/2,
        thereby making it the premier "integrating platform."

        BUSINESS RATIONALE

        A huge variety of high-quality general and special-purpose
        Win32 apps would be available for OS/2 users.  In most cases we
        are already two generations behind Win95 users.  Examples:
        Microsoft Office (of course), EndNote+,  @RISK, Claris
        FileMaker, etc.

        I seem to recall that Microsoft released their API as a standard
        to meet government requirements to not have a closed system.  It
        should be obvious that OS/2's failure to support Windows NT and
        95 software is a major negative mark against what is otherwise
        a great product that offers a heck of a lot more value than does
        NT.  I would therefore like to see the next server and work
        station release provide the ability to run Windows NT and 95
        software.

        It would be a good marketing option and fun, but not vital,
        to offer a choice of presentation managers, including one
        that looks like NT 4.0, and watch Microsoft complain about
        "Look and Feel" issues.  I am sure that Apple would be happy
        to provide copies of whatever documents they have on had that
        Microsoft filed against them.

        ATTRIBUTES:

        HIGH Value
        Desired NEXT full release

        BENEFIT$

        1.  Strategic marketing move by IBM to encourage new
            users as in the days of WinOS2 support for Win 3.1 users.

        2.  End-users won't abandon OS/2 as their desktop OS when the
            feature list of the Win32 aps get too good to pass up.


        EDITOR'S NOTE:  This request is based on multiple requests,
        which have been merged due to commonality, from the following
        contributors:

        David Rossiter
        Ithaca, NY, USA
        dgr2@clarityconnect.com

        Richard Bradley
        P.O. Box 8386
        Alexandria, VA  22306
        USA
        RickBradley@worldnet.att.net


        Supplemental text:

        My company would very much like to replace the 95/NT
        environment, but we have those Win32 programs that large
        number of people are using.  With this support, a very
        strong case can be made to bring in OS/2 as the standard
        platform.

        Tom Trifon
        trifon@ibm.net

        JUNE 1, 1997
        Win32:  Some thoughts:

        a.  Write a WPS add on to NT?
        b.  Start by replacing OS/2's components with Win32
            compliant subsystems.  One good place to start would
            be with the network driver model.  By making OS/2
            compatible with NT's network driver model you can
            achieve these benefits:
            1.  Happy hardware manufacturers - fewer drivers to
                write.
            2.  Happy networked users since more likely to be
                better driver support.
            3.  Publicity - embracing a standard
        c.  OS/2 mindshare - current model is old and 16 bit
            (I believe) and many drivers are not compatible with
            SMP, techno-geeks are not impressed.

        Submitted by:

        Oliver Wilcock
        owcher@ibm.net


        June 3, 1997

        "Add FULL win32 API"

        - Peter vd Berg
        The Hague, Netherlands
        Synetics
        synetics@ibm.net

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