bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU (Todd Bradley) (04/23/91)
Hi folks. I don't have OS/2 and, in fact, I've never even seen OS/2 or known anyone who has had it. Despite this, I've heard lots of talk lately about this apparently powerful operating system. I've been trying for the past week, after reading in the Wall Street Journal that IBM just cut the price drastically, to get some information about how to get OS/2 and what exactly it is. Everywhere I turn I hear somebody talking about it but I can't find any hard facts. It seems to be completely ignored by the pc software market. The university bookstore here doesn't carry it and doesn't know how to order it (although they can tell me the student discount rate is $350). My two favorite software stores (including the largest in the state) don't carry OS/2 or any OS/2 applications. And the fact that there is a newsgroup devoted to it makes think this operating system must exist, but I can't find any evidence other than hearsay. Please forgive my rambling, but I've got some questions I can't get answered anywhere else and I thought this might be an appropriate place to ask. If someone would take pity on me and send me some answers via email, I'd be very grateful. 1. I'm fairly convinced from what I've read that OS/2 is a Good Thing. Where can I buy this software? 2. Is the rest of the world (software vendors, in particular) as ignorant as my local software stores about OS/2? 3. Is it supported for non-IBM hardware? If not (I've heard it isn't), does it run on non-IBM hardware? In particular, I've got a fairly generic Klever 386 motherboard and Phoenix BIOS. 4. Is it true that IBM has lowered the price to $150 for the standard 1.3 release? The Wall Street Journal says yes, the software store says no. 5. Is it really likely that if I bought it now that it will still be supported a year from now? If you can give a reasonable answer to any or all of these questions, direct me to a FAQ list, or point me towards some appropriate literature, please reply. Thanks in advance. Using DOS/Windows only for lack of a better solution, Todd -- bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU bradleyt@rastro.Colorado.EDU BRADLEY_T@CUBLDR.COLORADO.EDU
rommel@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Kai-Uwe Rommel) (04/23/91)
In article <1991Apr22.211632.4960@colorado.edu> bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU (Todd Bradley) writes: >powerful operating system. I've been trying for the past >week, after reading in the Wall Street Journal that IBM >just cut the price drastically, to get some information >about how to get OS/2 and what exactly it is. Everywhere >I turn I hear somebody talking about it but I can't find >any hard facts. It seems to be completely ignored by the >pc software market. The university bookstore here doesn't >carry it and doesn't know how to order it (although they >can tell me the student discount rate is $350). My two >favorite software stores (including the largest in the >state) don't carry OS/2 or any OS/2 applications. And the >fact that there is a newsgroup devoted to it makes think >this operating system must exist, but I can't find any >evidence other than hearsay. You can order it from ANY IBM dealer. I got my copy from a Computerland store. It is 1.3 standard edition and it was $265 plus tax with *no* discounts, i.e. it is the regular version/price. >Using DOS/Windows only for lack of a better solution, I'm already happy with 1.3 and if 2.0 really is what it is said to be, nice computing times are going to start ... Kai Uwe Rommel /* Kai Uwe Rommel, Munich ----- rommel@lan.informatik.tu-muenchen.dbp.de */ DOS ... is still a real mode only non-reentrant interrupt handler, and always will be. -Russell Williams (MS)
tok@slammer.UUCP (Terry Kane) (04/23/91)
Where can you get OS/2? Good question. I don't know where *I* can buy it in Atlanta. Try Businessland and NYNEX - corporate type dealers. Yes, the world is ignorant of OS/2. I saw a recent issue of CommUnixations wherein OS/2 was slammed at least half dozen times by people who probably have never seen it. It really is a Good Thing. Is it supported on non-blue hardware? Yes, when you buy it directly from the hardware vendor, e.g. AST, Dell... These companies have it from MicroCephaliSoft - IBM's agreement with MS prohibits IBM from supporting it on nonblue hardware. However, reports are that version 2 will have been tested and will run on at least twelve other vendor's hardware. They won't support you, but you (knock on wood) wont't need support. The official proce of OS/2 1.3 SE is $150, with a free upgrade to 2.0 when _it_ comes out. This from press releases. (Yeah, but first you gotta find somebody to sell it to ya.) As far as future support - well if you get support from IBM now (blue hardware) You'll surely be supported in a year. IBM is real intent on OS/2 2.0 becoming a smash success! They really are.
chuck@umbc5.umbc.edu (Chuck Rickard; ACS (UGRAD)) (04/24/91)
Has IBM mentioned whether current owners (prior to April 17th) are eligible for the free 2.0 upgrade? Also, are OS/2 EE owners going to get the Extended Services option package for free as well? Since OS/2 2.0 is going to be a single release (no SE & EE verions), this would seem to make sense. Either it should be free or at a greatly reduced cost. Thanks for any reply! -- Chuck Rickard (chuck@umbc5.umbc.edu)
larrys@watson.ibm.com (Larry Salomon, Jr.) (04/24/91)
>1. I'm fairly convinced from what I've read that OS/2 is > a Good Thing. Where can I buy this software? Yes, it is a good thing. Unfortunately, other than an official IBM dealer, no one else carries OS/2. >2. Is the rest of the world (software vendors, in particular) > as ignorant as my local software stores about OS/2? Not really, although there are a lot of misconceptions about OS/2: (Seen in a trade mag) OS/2 is not a preemptive multitasking operating system. Windows is. There are no applications for OS/2. It is more difficult to program for than DOS+Windows. etc... >3. Is it supported for non-IBM hardware? If not (I've heard > it isn't), does it run on non-IBM hardware? In particular, > I've got a fairly generic Klever 386 motherboard and > Phoenix BIOS. I don't think it is supported on non-IBM hardware, but my housemate has 1.3 running on a clone, so it will work, even though you might have to do some black magic to get it to work. >4. Is it true that IBM has lowered the price to $150 for > the standard 1.3 release? The Wall Street Journal says > yes, the software store says no. The software store is wrong. Tell them your fairy godmother told you so. >5. Is it really likely that if I bought it now that it will > still be supported a year from now? Most definately. If past actions are any indication, you will probably be able to upgrade to 2.0 for free, should you buy 1.3 now. Cheers, Larry Salomon, Jr. (aka 'Q') LARRYS@YKTVMV.BITNET OS/2 Applications and Tools larrys@ibmman.watson.ibm.com IBM T.J. Watson Research Center larrys@eng.clemson.edu Yorktown Heights, NY Disclaimer: The statements and/or opinions stated above are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of my employer. Additionally, I have a reputation for being obnoxious, so don't take any personal attacks too seriously.
larrys@watson.ibm.com (Larry Salomon, Jr.) (04/24/91)
P.S. If you're upgrading from DOS, the cost is only $99. Cheers, Larry Salomon, Jr. (aka 'Q') LARRYS@YKTVMV.BITNET OS/2 Applications and Tools larrys@ibmman.watson.ibm.com IBM T.J. Watson Research Center larrys@eng.clemson.edu Yorktown Heights, NY Disclaimer: The statements and/or opinions stated above are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of my employer. Additionally, I have a reputation for being obnoxious, so don't take any personal attacks too seriously.
resnicks@netcom.COM (Steve Resnick) (04/25/91)
In article <1991Apr24.125818.26340@watson.ibm.com> larrys@yktvmv writes: >>1. I'm fairly convinced from what I've read that OS/2 is >> a Good Thing. Where can I buy this software? > >Yes, it is a good thing. Unfortunately, other than an official IBM >dealer, no one else carries OS/2. > >>2. Is the rest of the world (software vendors, in particular) >> as ignorant as my local software stores about OS/2? > >Not really, although there are a lot of misconceptions about OS/2: > (Seen in a trade mag) OS/2 is not a preemptive multitasking > operating system. Windows is. Windows is not preemptive multi-tasking. OS/2 is. > > There are no applications for OS/2. > There are several MS applications and other vendors who support OS/2. > It is more difficult to program for than DOS+Windows. > Are we talking PM or OS/2? PM offers a richer API than Windows, and OS/2 offers a richer API than DOS. 99% of my code which I have written in C for DOS ports directly to OS/2. > etc... > >>3. Is it supported for non-IBM hardware? If not (I've heard >> it isn't), does it run on non-IBM hardware? In particular, >> I've got a fairly generic Klever 386 motherboard and >> Phoenix BIOS. > >I don't think it is supported on non-IBM hardware, but my housemate has >1.3 running on a clone, so it will work, even though you might have to do >some black magic to get it to work. > I don't know about 1.3, but 1.2 ran on my Weitek 386/20 w/ Award 3.11 BIOS out of the box. >>4. Is it true that IBM has lowered the price to $150 for >> the standard 1.3 release? The Wall Street Journal says >> yes, the software store says no. > >The software store is wrong. Tell them your fairy godmother told you so. > >>5. Is it really likely that if I bought it now that it will >> still be supported a year from now? > >Most definately. If past actions are any indication, you will probably >be able to upgrade to 2.0 for free, should you buy 1.3 now. What you've said here almost entirely contradicts my experience with OS/2. - Steve -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- resnicks@netcom.com, steve@camphq, IFNA: 1:143/105.0, USNail: 530 Lawrence Expressway, Suite 374 Sunnyvale, Ca 94086 In real life: Steve Resnick. Chief Software Architect, Process Scientific, Inc Flames, grammar and spelling errors >/dev/null 0x2b |~ 0x2b, THAT is the question. The Asylum OS/2 BBS - (408)263-8017 12/2400,8,1 - Running Maximus CBCS 1.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
larrys@watson.ibm.com (Larry Salomon, Jr.) (04/26/91)
In <1991Apr24.214625.12397@netcom.COM>, resnicks@netcom.COM (Steve Resnick) writes: > >>Not really, although there are a lot of misconceptions about OS/2: A ! +------------------------------------------+ ! >> ! (Seen in a trade mag) OS/2 is not a preemptive multitasking >> ! operating system. Windows is. > ! > ! Windows is not preemptive multi-tasking. OS/2 is. >> ! >> ! There are no applications for OS/2. >> ! > ! There are several MS applications and other vendors who support > ! OS/2. > ! >> ! It is more difficult to program for than DOS+Windows. >> ! > ! Are we talking PM or OS/2? PM offers a richer API than Windows, > ! and OS/2 offers a richer API than DOS. 99% of my code which I have > ! written in C for DOS ports directly to OS/2. > ! >> ! etc... >> ! ! Like I said, there are a lot of *MISCONCEPTIONS* (pointed out here for those who missed it the first time B-/ ) about OS/2. The "more difficult to program" is one of them. >>I don't think it is supported on non-IBM hardware, but my housemate has >>1.3 running on a clone, so it will work, even though you might have to do >>some black magic to get it to work. >> > I don't know about 1.3, but 1.2 ran on my Weitek 386/20 w/ Award 3.11 > BIOS out of the box. > I said it isn't supported. I didn't say it wouldn't run. >What you've said here almost entirely contradicts my experience with OS/2. It contradicts mine, too. Cheers, Larry Salomon, Jr. (aka 'Q') LARRYS@YKTVMV.BITNET OS/2 Applications and Tools larrys@ibmman.watson.ibm.com IBM T.J. Watson Research Center larrys@eng.clemson.edu Yorktown Heights, NY Disclaimer: The statements and/or opinions stated above are strictly my own and do not reflect the views of my employer. Additionally, I have a reputation for being obnoxious, so don't take any personal attacks too seriously.
slh@gibdo.engr.washington.edu (04/26/91)
In article <1991Apr24.214625.12397@netcom.COM> resnicks@netcom.COM (Steve Resnick) writes: |In article <1991Apr24.125818.26340@watson.ibm.com> larrys@yktvmv writes: [stuff] |>Not really, although there are a lot of misconceptions about OS/2: |> (Seen in a trade mag) OS/2 is not a preemptive multitasking |> operating system. Windows is. | | Windows is not preemptive multi-tasking. OS/2 is. |> [more making the same points the originaly poster was making] | |What you've said here almost entirely contradicts my experience with OS/2. | Read the msg again, especially the first line I quoted, these are exactly the points the original poster was making.