From: lbv2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (BRIAN PAUL VAN LIEU)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy
Subject: Re: IBM bundling OS/2 (was rude behavior-gotta change the title!)
Date: 18 Dec 92 20:08:21 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

>
>Well, IBM won't sell you some of their newer machines without OS/2
>preinstalled.  I asked quite specifically if I could purchase their
>systems without OS/2 and get a rebate.  No, they don't do that.  If I
>want one of the advertised, OS/2-based systems without OS/2, I have to
>reformat the hard drive myself and install DOS and Windows.  Now, beyond
>the fact that IBM won't sell me any of their thusly equipped system
>until they change their minds, I really don't mind. There are plenty of
>other perfectly good (or better) machines out there and I can get them
>configured as I wish.  OTOH, I don't mind IBM trying to push OS/2 (if
>they ever get it right, I may try it again), since their future seems
>more dependent upon it now than it did just a few days ago (and who can
>blame them for wanting to make a dent in the market?).
>
>The point is that manufacturers are going to do what's in their own best
>interest and all we can hope for is that the competition yields for us
>something we actually want.
>
>jmalloy@hamilton.edu

    This is funny. For over a year, different compatible manufactures have
    been striving to offer 'Windows3.x included'. When OS/2 2.0 was released,
    and was begining to pick up momentum (I would say around June), you could
    not get *any* manufacture to offer OS/2. Hell, you could not get most to
    *not* include windows (I called Gateway, Zeos, and PCPrand. All said it
    came with it, and you would have to delete it. One company, I forget which
    one, said they wouldn't include it, but aslo said the price was the same
    either way).

    All these companies were bound to MS contracts. Its not at if these were
    MS computers. Now, IBM decided to bundle its own OS on its own Cmputers.
    'Foul' people cry. Why I say? This sounds more legit then how MS controls
    other vendors.

    Now I agree that there should be a choice of IBM DOS or OS/2. But
    excluding Windows, while maybe a bad marketing idea, is fine.

    I agree that IBM should change their strategy for the valuepoint series.
    OS/2 is included, but IBM DOS should be offered instead.

    IBM installs OS/2 on a FAT partition, I believe so that you can delete it
    rather easily and put DOS on instead. I do not think re-formating is
    necessary, unless there are some hidden files that you can't delete.
    Re-formating is not that big of a deal...

    What I do not like is the fact that OS/2 is not on an HPFS drive. THe
    machines have 8 megs. If people are reformating the drives anyway, put
    OS/2 on the HPFS. There is a *world* of a difference. On the valuepoind
    486DX33 I use at work, deleting a directory (del *.*), without a /delete
    environment, takes a very long time. I clocked one time at 8 seconds.

    On my HPFS drive at home, the same action with a /delete environment takes
    no more the 2-4 seconds.

    Having OS/2 on FAT drives will not make the ValuePoints shine too well.

                                                        cheers,

                                                        bvl
-- 

  Brian P. Van Lieu
  Lehigh University-AXP
  lbv2@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu

            OS/2 2.0...anything else is just a DOS.
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy