sidney@borland.com (Sidney Markowitz) (06/07/91)
There's now an OS/2 forum on Compuserve being run by IBM (GO IBMOS2),
and an IBM'er there named David Both seems very interested in hearing
about any problems that people have with dealers in getting OS/2 and
upgrades. It sounds like he will take steps to set dealers straight.
The internet address that will reach his Compuserve e-mail is
70302.735@compuserve.com. David posted a list of companies that will
handle orders for people who cannot find a local dealer - I don't have
that handy, but I will post it here when I get a copy off of
Compuserve. He also posted the following message that he suggested
people print out and show to any dealer with whom they are having
trouble. It lists the correct prices and gives them a number to call
for information. I apologize for posting something that sounds like it
belongs in comp.announce.newprods, but the purpose is to help anyone
reading this who is having trouble with a dealer. The message
that David Both posted follows my signature:
-- sidney markowitz <sidney@borland.com>
-------------- cut here ---------------------------------
Dear IBM Remarketer:
On April 17, 1991 IBM made some very significant OS/2 announcements that are of
substantial importance to you and your customers. Following is an overview of
those announcements:
* IBM reaffirmed its commitment to OS/2, both for now and for the
future.
* Announced significant price reductions for OS/2 Standard
Edition Version 1.3 (now only $150 retail) and OS/2 Extended
Edition Version 1.3 (now only $690 retail).
* Demonstrated (via IBM's world-wide satellite TV network from
New York) OS/2 Version 2.0, to be delivered by year-end 1991.
* Announced a planned upgrade from DOS to OS/2 Version 1.3 ($99
to OS/2 SE and $635 to OS/2 EE), and a FREE upgrade from OS/2
Version 1.3 to OS/2 Version 2.0 before year-end.
* Announced that OS/2 Communications Manager and Database
features will be unbundled from OS/2 EE and offered separately
as an optional add-on to OS/2 SE.
The most exciting part of this important announcement, by far, was that OS/2
Version 2.0 would be the operating system to meet your every need.
Regardless of whether you have DOS programs, Windows programs, or OS/2
programs, you can run them all directly and unmodified on OS/2 Version 2.0.
It runs your DOS programs better and with more available memory than with DOS.
And it will run as many of those DOS programs concurrently as you have memory
for. It even lets you boot up DOS in a DOS window!
It run Windows programs (doesn't matter which version of Windows they were
meant to run on) better than with Windows. And it runs OS/2 programs better
than with the best OS/2 so far, Version 1.3.
With OS/2 Version 2.0, you won't need any other operating system.
If I can assist you in making OS/2 the operating system of choice for your
386/486 customers, please call the IBM NDD National Support Center at (800)
IBM-PROD.
Sincerely,
Dave Bothtaj@cunyvms1.gc.cuny.edu (06/20/91)
I will try this tactic and Mr. D. Both but I still doubt it that I will be able to buy OS/2 1.3 in Manhattan. Often I count myself lucky if the slaes rep knew what I was talking about.