Re: Free OS/400 -- MIDRANGE-L

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Hello Howard,

You wrote:
>Speaking of OS/2, have you noticed that it is still available? It has not
>changed much for several years but since it is not off of the radar, I
>believe Phoenix might have yet another chance to rise from the ashes!

IBM are unlikely to push OS/2. Unless customer's start asking for it IBM
will let it die. IBM will happily sell you copies of the current server,
OS/2 Warp Server for eBusiness (released in December 2000 -- not bad for a
dead OS!!) and copies of the current desktop, OS/2 Warp 4.0.

One problem is that OS/2 Warp (desktop) will not install out-of-the-box on
modern hardware because it can't handle large hard drives. So you must
download newer drivers from IBM, copy them on to the installation disk, and
then install. Most people can't be bothered so they suffer a shoddy, not
quite good enough, excuse for an OS from the evil empire.

IBM are currently selling Convenience Packs whcih are a subscription
offering. If you subscribe they will send you an updated version of the
server or client with current fixpacks applied and new updates. That takes
the desktop to version 4.5. I bet no one on this list even knew there is a
new version of the Warp client!

IBM have been adding support over the last few years for removable drives
(Zip, Jazz, etc.), support for USB, support for new printers (even low-end
stuff like Epson, Canon, and HP inkjets). Sitec have been creating a
unified OS/2 Display Driver with support for almost every available video
card -- IBM even licensed it from them. You do need to carefully choose
the hardware you intend to run OS/2 on because some items don't have
drivers (but NT and W2K have that problem too).

What you can't easily get is OS/2 support from IBM. IBM still provide
fix-packs (read PTFs) free of charge but they will probably become
chargeable as the OS/2 market dwindles. Telephone support is chargeable
(just like it is with Windoze). What you can't get in many countries
(Asutralia being one of them) is an IBMer who actually knows anything about
OS/2 and unless you keep pushing you are likely to give up after your first
call to IBM.

However, many customers still use OS/2, even on the desktop (we are one of
them -- we have no BUSINESS need for any MS software). There is a US
company called Serenity Systems who are about to release two products.
eComServer and eComStation which can be considered the follow-on products
to OS/2. If those of you who are seeking an alternative were prepared to
put your money where your mouth is and purchase copies of these products
when they are released that would go a long way to providing a market that
might be comparable in size to the Mac market. Software vendors make quite
a bit of money providing software for Apple systems. There is no reason
they can't make money from an OS/2 market either (except for MS and their
draconian licensing agreements) if unhappy MS customers would vote with
their feet.

There are alternatives out there ... you simply have to be willing to look
for them!

Regards,
Simon Coulter.

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�� Eclipse the competition - run your business on an IBM AS/400. ��
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