Re: Trends in documentation delivery?

["Simon Coulter" <shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Booth,

I simply refuse to use Microsoft products.  Doing so requires that I spend a 
lot of time finding 
alternatives.  I start with the premise that IBM must use some of this stuff 
internally and go from there.

All the softcopy CDs have all versions of the IBM Library Reader -- DOS, W31, 
W95 & NT, and OS/2.  There is a 
directory called ILROS2 which contains the OS/2 installation program.  Just run 
it.  You can find fixes for 
the Library Reader at ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/ps/products/bookmanager/ 
although you don't really need 
them.

I don't really want to start another flame war but I do have some comments:

I don't think the lack of AS/400 tools for OS/2 is an IBM problem.  Rather it 
is an AS/400 division problem.  
By that I mean the AS/400 division provides almost no support for OS/2 because 
they believe _ALL_ AS/400 
customers are only interested in connectivity from some dialect of Windoze.  
Witness the 'stabilising' of CA 
Optimised for OS/2, also the announcement to drop support for Netware and OS/2 
on the IPCS.  I object to 
being forced down a particular path by the choices of _ONE_ of my suppliers -- 
Ops Navigator for instance.  

I am required to use OpsNav to configure parts of my AS/400; to use that 
product requires I install windoze.  
I don't want that poison forced on me.  At least Rochester could write it in 
100% pure Java and allow me 
choose the platform it runs on.

Now this also is not entirely Rochester's fault.  Many customers _have_ 
standardised on MS products 
(foolishly in my not-so-humble opinion) and most of them have made that 
decision because of articles by 
columnists who set themselves up as supposed experts.  I think those 'experts' 
are to blame.

OS/2 has one of the best TCP suites available.  That is what allows me to 
continue using OS/2 to connect to 
AS/400 systems without pain and anguish (well, minimum pain anyway).

I would like the OS/2 version of VAJava 2.0 to provide the same support for the 
AS/400 Toolbox as the windoze 
version does but I'm not going to hold my breath.  I'll just manually install 
the toolkit and forego the 
various tools to create classes and interfaces and the remote debugger VAJava 
provides to Windoze users.

OS/2 has suffered the same lack of marketing as the AS/400.  I sincerely hope 
the AS/400 division has not 
left the marketing recovery too late.  I would hate to see yet another 
brilliant IBM product disappear 
because of slicker marketing and the perception of the masses.

I hope this doesn't appear too bitter and twisted but I wish more people would 
think for themselves rather 
than believing everything they read or hear.

Regards,
Simon Coulter.

//----------------------------------------------------------
// FlyByNight Software         AS/400 Technical Specialists
// Phone: +61 3 9419 0175      Mobile: +61 0411 091 400
// Fax:   +61 3 9419 0175      E-mail: shc@flybynight.com.au
// 
// Windoze should not be open at Warp speed.
//--- forwarded letter -------------------------------------------------------
> X-Mailer: MR/2 Internet Cruiser Edition for OS/2 v1.50 b48 
> Date: Fri, 18 Dec 98 20:34:56 -0500
> From: boothm@ibm.net
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Reply-To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re: Trends in documentation delivery?

> 
> Simon, where in the world do you find out what IBM has to offer on the AS/400 
>- OS/2 front?  I can never 
find anything useful from them or their sites.     
> 
> 
> In <199812182214.RAA001.62@unicorn.flybynight.com.au>, on 12/18/98 
>    at 05:06 PM, "Simon Coulter" <shc@flybynight.com.au> said:
> 
> 
> >The only difficulty I can see with the softcopy CD is when you have to
> >use the Library Reader for Windows  which would have to be one of the
> >all-time awful peices of software.  The OS/2 version is so much easier to
> > use.
> 
> -- 
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> boothm@ibm.net
> Booth Martin
> -----------------------------------------------------------

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