From: thompson@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy
Subject: Re: Interesting tidbit from September 7, 1992 PC Week
Date: 15 Sep 92 14:50:05 CDT
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

In article <1992Sep15.174241.2427@fcom.cc.utah.edu>, brian@jaguar.cs.utah.edu (Brian Sturgill) writes:
> In article <1992Sep15.131240.12951@njitgw.njit.edu> dic5340@hertz.njit.edu (David Charlap) writes:
>>>Then why did John Soyring et. al. lead us to believe it would?
>>
>>Led who to believe what?  He posted a rumor on the Net.  This is very
>>different from posting "tentative release dates" in major news
>>magazines. 
> 
> What is wrong with putting out _tentative release dates_, the point
> with them being tentative is that they often slip.  The problem
> I have with the "June" CSD is that IBM was clearly lying around
> the time of the March release.  They purposefully spread rumors
> that they would have fixes out in June, told people that things
> like Windows 3.1 and the 32-bit graphics engine were almost ready, when
> in truth they were not even close to being ready.
> 

IBM spread rumors?  Were you phone tapping an IBMer when he/she was
spreading rumors?  What basis do you have for saying this (other than
that you are biased towards Microsoft)?

> Read the July issue of OS/2 Monthly.. There is an interview with Soyring
> done at the March COMDEX.  He clearly states that the 32bit graphics
> engine is finished and only needs a small amount more of testing.
> 
> Lee Reiswig at the COMDEX rollout demoed Windows 3.1, said they had
> it up and running 24 hours after GA rolled out.  While I don't mean
> to imply that he was saying it was finished at that very moment, he definitely
> was implying that it would be ready in a short while.
> 

Implying?  Maybe to you.  You seem read volumes into whatever IBMers
say.  So what if Win 3.1 was up and running in April.  It was a DEMO.
A demo not production code, not beta, not alpha--it is just a demo--
something designed to work under specific conditions.

> The idea behind tentative dates is that the company will be very embarrased
> if they miss by a lot (I generally use the rule of thumb that the date should
> no miss by more than 1/2 the time between the date of the initial announcement

Don't you think the company would be a whole lot more embarresed if 
they missed a "sure" date rather than a tentative date?

> and the date the announcment says that it is due.  I.E. The June CSD
> announced in March should not have missed by more than 1.5 months.)
> 

According to your rule of thumb, we should all be able to go out
and buy NT now.

> To say that IBM did not announce this tentative date is foolish.  Why does
> everyone know what "June" CSD means?

BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS HERE ON THE USENET WHEN THE RUMOR WAS STARTED!!!
(Sorry to use caps--but I _had_ too.)  It was a net rumor.  Jeez.
What does this have to do with anything?  Why does everyone know that
you support NT?  Why does everyone know that Gordon Letwin can be
testy?  

> 
>>
>>>When I purchased OS/2 for home, I did so with the understanding that
>>>I'd have a fixed version in June (which I took with a grain of salt
>>>to mean summer, after all IBM was already demoing Windows 3.1 and
>>>saying the graphics engine was done but needed more testing.)
>>
>>Do you always make purchasing decisions based on unsubstantiated
>>rumors?  Oops, I'm sorry, you're running NT.
> 
> No, I make purchase decisions on the word of people like Bill Gates,

So--did you go out and purchase the most important operating system
ever--OS/2?  According to the Bill Gates of the past, you should be
solidly behind OS/2.  NT shouldn't matter.  But Bill Gate's word has
changed--what a surprise!  Now you should support NT.  

> Lee Reiswig, and John Soyring (as always I use a grain of salt... it's
> a complex world).  Unfortunately Lee Reiswig and John Soyring have let
> me down... and now all their "worshipers" are insisting that I shouldn't
> have believed them... it was "unsubstantiated".  Well as I've said
> in another posting, next time I deal with IBM I'll get it in writing.

You should deal with every company in writing.  Especially when money
is involved.  When IBM makes an announcement, it is in _writing_.  
That's why you see them on the net.  Believe the announcements, not
the rumors.  

> (Oh.. looks like I'm responding to a followup of that post -- blush.)
> (Yea! well you try taking on the "world" and keep track of which
> post you're responding to!!! :-))
> 
> ...
> 
> Brian
> -- 
> C. Brian Sturgill                       *** OS/2 2.0 is for YOU! ***

-- 
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| Charles A. Thompson           | thompson@ukanvm.cc.ukans.edu     |
| University of Kansas          | thompson@ukanvax.cc.ukans.edu    |
| .../ They call me SkiBum \... | OS/2 2.0, Bush, and Rush in '92! |
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