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Re: OS/2 Porting



Hello again.  Followups directed to comp.os.os2.advocacy.
As the previous post stated, this isn't a flame either.

In <4inq00$9a3@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, compexpr@aol.com (CompExpr) writes:
>Unfortunately my take on situation is IBM is not willing to do the right
>job in getting OS/2 out there, and are likely to cut their losses and drop
>support of the system altogether.

Go talk to John Soyring or any other high ranking official in IBM's PSP
department.  IBM will continue to develop and support OS/2 as long as
there is a market for it.  Since OS/2 is heavily used in the US Government
and the banking communities, it is clear that it will be a supported 
environment for many years to come.  IBM is fully committed to keeping
OS/2 a live and viable product on the Intel platform.

>IF IBM were to somehow give ARDI some financial incentive to develop an
>Executor/2, I think that would be great.

Agreed!  However, it remains unclear as to whether IBM is going
to get Apple's official support to run Mac binaries under OS/2.  If they
do get that official support, funding from IBM for Executor/2 is unlikely.

>except that there are much less
>people using OS/2 than there are Windows, Windows NT and Windows 95. It's
>unfortunate but true...

I disagree, and have seen the numbers to prove it.  Let's keep this out
of c.e.m.executor, though.  Take it to private email or comp.os.os2.advocacy.

>I would like to see ARDI continue it's efforts to complete the
>Executor/DOS, Executor Linux and Executor Next Step (Yes, there is
>probably a smaller installed base of NextStep people than OS/2, but ARDI
>has a desire to support/respect their roots.) ports.

And I don't think that any of the OS/2 advocates want to see these
ports disappear.  Many OS/2 supporters are also Linux supporters,
NeXTStep supporters, Solaris supporters, even Windows NT supporters.
ARDI just shouldn't ignore the large OS/2 community.

>By that time NT 4.0 will be out, as well as Win 97(?). Also at this point
>IBM will either have released OS/2 4.0 or canned it.

Merlin will be in beta within 6-8 weeks, perhaps even before Executor
v2.0 is shipping.  From past beta periods, it's generally 3-4 months
for the GA code to be released.

>Personally, since Executor/DOS runs reasonably well on OS/2, I'd be much
>more interested in seeing a BeBox port of Executor..

Don't even *try* to argue that there are more BeBoxes out there
than OS/2 users.  :)

>I hope all the loyal OS/2'ers won't flame me, but I think we all want
>Executor and ARDI to succeed, even if some of us don't get everything we
>want!

Clearly there is money to be made in the OS/2 market; just look at 
Stardock Systems, which only puts out OS/2 software, and is doing
extremely well.  I think ARDI would be wrong to neglect a market
where they clearly could make a nice sum of money.

Again, followups to comp.os.os2.advocacy please.

---
- Joseph LoCicero, IV       | Grey is not the color I expected             -
- jolo@ece.cmu.edu          | On someone who's so often touched by grace   -
- Think smarter, not harder | The eyes that hold the promise of perfection -
- Team OS/2   Use Warp!     | Will find the flaw that no one can erase...  -



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