[comp.os.os2.misc] OS2 under IBM's control ~ How will this affect third parties?

keating@rex.cs.tulane.edu (John W. Keating) (09/21/90)

Okay, Microsoft and IBM had their conferences and it now appears that
Microsoft is not going to have much say in the OS2 world compared to
IBM.  What will this mean for those of us who don't have IBM machines?
Is IBM going to try to make the OS so IBM-machine specific that those of us
with el-cheapo clones won't be able to effectively use it?  Will a
standard edition 2.0 come out too?

(Me wonders what Microsoft had in mind when giving up control to this
operating system...  Seems to me that DOS is dying (Yes, I know of the huge
existing user base for DOS, but...), and they would be trying to push OS2.
Makes one wonder what special features they are going to put in MSDOS 5.0?)

    JWKIII

steveha@microsoft.UUCP (Steve Hastings) (09/24/90)

I read that press release, too.  It says that IBM is taking over the
development of OS/2 versions 1.X and 2.X, and Microsoft is taking over
the development of the portable version of OS/2 (the one written in C).
Microsoft and IBM are still partners in OS/2 development, and will still
work together.

Past experience has shown that it just doesn't work to have both IBM and
Microsoft trying to work on the same code at the same time, so this is not
a bad arrangement.

I don't think IBM has any plans to make OS/2 run only on IBM machines; the
backlash from angry customers would hurt them, and any such plans would
fail.  If OS/2 stops being an open system, who would buy it?

In short, I believe this announcement is not a significant change in OS/2
policy from either Microsoft or IBM.  It is a change in development plans,
but not in policy.

Here is the text of the press release:
-- begin press release --
For Immediate Release


     Contact: Tracy O'Neill
     914/642-5412

IBM Reaffirms Relationship With Microsoft;
Extends Licensing Arrangements
     WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. Sept. 19, 1990 . . . IBM today
reaffirmed its relationship with Microsoft and extended its
licensing arrangements for DOS, Windows and OS/2.  Also
highlighted were a series of steps being taken to improve
the efficiency and productivity of development efforts for
DOS and OS/2.
     Although both IBM and Microsoft will define
requirements for these products, each company's development
efforts will primarily focus on certain products, which will
be licensed to the other company.  In most cases,
development efforts will be centralized in one location.
     Concentrating development activities in single-site
locations will increase overall development responsiveness,
reduce development cycles, and enable streamlined migration
and growth alternatives for users of DOS, Windows, and OS/2.
     "Today's announcement clarifies the roles of both
companies toward providing a range of operating platforms to
meet the varied requirements of desktop customers," said
James A. Cannavino, IBM vice president and general manager,
Personal Systems.  "By focusing IBM's development efforts is
this manner, we are better able to achieve this goal."
     In order to improve the efficiency of development
efforts, IBM will have the primary role for developing 16-
bit and 32-bit OS/2, with Microsoft making development
contributions.  Microsoft continues to develop Windows and
will be the primary developer for DOS.  Both companies
intend to contribute to the development of a 32-bit version
of OS/2 that is portable to other computer instruction sets,
such as RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing).  Microsoft
will have the primary role of developing this portable
version, with IBM making development contributions.  All of
these products will be cross-licensed by both companies.
     IBM also reaffirmed its intention to reduce the entry
requirements for OS/2 to 2 MB, to converge LAN Manager and
LAN Server and to make the functions of OS/2 EE and LAN
Server available to all IBM and OEM OS/2 users.  In
addition, IBM will begin delivering limited shipments of a
32-bit version of OS/2 to selected accounts in 1990, and the
product will be generally available in 1991.
     The range of desktop operating products licensed by
both IBM and Microsoft continues to meet the needs of most
users.  DOS, with more than 20,000 applications, remains a
significant platform for entry level systems with less than
1 MB of memory and will be enhanced over time.
     Windows provides a graphical solution for users in a
DOS environment.  Designed for systems with 1 MB or more of
memory, Windows works well for users of personal
productivity applications.  A typical system configuration
for Windows would range between 2 and 4 MB.
     As an advanced function operating platform, OS/2 offers
full multitasking capabilities in a graphical environment.
It is ideal for larger, more complex applications, such as
mission critical and line-of-business applications and is
recommended for servers.  OS/2 is designed for systems with
2 MB or more of memory and typically runs in a 3 - 6 MB
environment.

                           # # #







Contact:

Marty Taucher/Microsoft
(206) 882-8080

Claire Lematta/TWG
(503) 245-0905


Microsoft Corporation Chairman and CEO Bill Gates issued a
statement in affirmation of today's announcement by IBM:

We are excited about IBM's announcement today reaffirming
our relationship and outlining the expansion of our cross-
license agreement for present and future versions of DOS,
Windows and OS/2.

Together, IBM and Microsoft will provide a family of PC
operating systems that is compatible and scalable from entry
level PCs to high-end, advanced PC platforms.

Microsoft and IBM have played a key role in the development
of the PC industry and we will continue to cooperate to
provide the best operating system solutions to our
customers.
-- end press release --
-- 
Steve "I don't speak for Microsoft" Hastings    ===^=== :::::
uunet!microsoft!steveha  steveha@microsoft.uucp    ` \\==|

kushner@ux5.lbl.gov (Gary Kushner) (09/24/90)

Didn't microsoft just "take over" development of OS/2 a little 
while ago.  All of this political nonsense is without doubt delaying
the development of OS/2.  I am beginning to question whether I can
recommend os/2 for any development work at all.  It seems that 
microsoft's desire to push windows in the near term might just
kill what could have become a very good os.  There is no doubt that
os/2 is the only technically sound operating system for 286/386/486
computers that microsoft makes.  

-Gary 

cfreas@csserv1.ic.sunysb.edu (Terry Freas) (09/24/90)

In article <57653@microsoft.UUCP> steveha@microsoft.UUCP (Steve Hastings) writes:
>I read that press release, too.  It says that IBM is taking over the
>development of OS/2 versions 1.X and 2.X, and Microsoft is taking over
>the development of the portable version of OS/2 (the one written in C).
>Microsoft and IBM are still partners in OS/2 development, and will still
>work together.
>
>Past experience has shown that it just doesn't work to have both IBM and
>Microsoft trying to work on the same code at the same time, so this is not
>a bad arrangement.
>
>I don't think IBM has any plans to make OS/2 run only on IBM machines; the
>backlash from angry customers would hurt them, and any such plans would
>fail.  If OS/2 stops being an open system, who would buy it?
>
>In short, I believe this announcement is not a significant change in OS/2
>policy from either Microsoft or IBM.  It is a change in development plans,
>but not in policy.
>

[press release deleted]

Now this has me ticked off!  After reading somebody's summary of features
for OS/2 1.3 (things like Abobe TM and REXX included), I'm convinced IBM
can do a better job than Microsoft iat increasing functionality (speed,
memory requirements) and features (above).  However, today's New York
Times article (business section) explains Microsoft movement of 160
programmers to Windows or Windows-based applications as part of an
agreed strategy for both companies to develop for their *prefered*
environment.  Does this mean Microsoft will back off from generating all
current and new applications under OS/2?

In addition, as IBM and Microsoft stated in their press release, they
are no longer of the idea that OS/2 is a replacement for MS-DOS.  In fact,
the NYT article states that Microsoft will continue to develop MS-DOS
and Windows for a considerable period of time (past 5.0?, 3.0?).  IBM
also stated that OS/2 was only useful for machines with 2 or more
megabytes of RAM and running 'mission-critical, line-f-business, or
server-based' apps.  I have spent a considerable amount of money and
time, depending on an eventual (2 years or less) replacement strategy for
OS/2

Any more riled (sp?) thoughts?!!? :-)

>-- 
>Steve "I don't speak for Microsoft" Hastings    ===^=== :::::
>uunet!microsoft!steveha  steveha@microsoft.uucp    ` \\==|

Thanks for the post Steve.  Sheeze :-)

---
 - Jeremy Wohl
 - wohl@max.physics.sunysb.edu
 - cfreas@csserv1.ic.sunysb.edu

feustel@well.sf.ca.us (David Alan Feustel) (10/07/90)

So what kind of support should Microsoft OS/2 v 2.0 SDK owners expect?
-- 
Dave Feustel, 1930 Curdes Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46805-2710 (219)-482-9631  
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