From: sip1@ellis.uchicago.edu (Timothy F. Sipples)
Subject: Re: Interesting tidbit from September 7, 1992 PC Week
Reply-To: sip1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: Dept. of Econ., Univ. of Chicago
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 01:32:00 GMT

In article <1992Sep12.071313.8580@fcom.cc.utah.edu> brian@jaguar.cs.utah.edu (Brian Sturgill) writes:
>>>People keep claiming that OS/2 has vendor support.  From whom?
>>>What vendor has announced for OS/2 that hasn't announced for NT?
>>Lotus.  WordPerfect Corp.  Computer Associates.  Borland (except C++).
>>Novell (server).
>Blush, you caught me... what I mean is do you know of anyone that will
>be on OS/2 that will not be on NT too.

I won't rub it in.  Too much.  :-)

I know of no mainstream software developer that, should NT prove
successful, would fail to code for that new platform.  But that
statement doesn't say much about the success or failure of NT, and I
can't really go beyond that statement.

>It's too early for WordPerfect to announce, but they go everywhere,
>NT won't be an exception.

If NT achieves reasonable market penetration, sure, they'll have an
offering.  "Reasonable," for WordPerfect, is probably a tad lower than
some other companies, since they do pride themselves on cross platform
support.

>You're wrong about Borland... their whole product line is headed there.

Other than C++, they haven't said much about it.  In fact, P.K. is
pretty quiet about future directions for the company, and I tend to
prefer it that way.  They just deliver excellent products and don't
make a big fuss otherwise, generally.

>Novell has committed to requestor support (so has Banyan), but as you say
>they have not committed yet to a server.  But as you know
>(and you do know... I e-mailed you the article :-)),
>that is at least in the process of being negotiated.
>(Though I guess it could fall through.)

That Novell article didn't make it to my mailbox, I'm afraid.

>As to Lotus and Computer Associates -- do you have the least indication
>they won't be there?

No, but, turning that around, they haven't said anything about NT on
the positive side.  My general statement applies to them as well, but,
again, it doesn't say much about NT one way or the other.

>The big players will always be everywhere... the question for them is where
>will the latest apps with the latest innovations be introduced.
>You're saying this won't be on the Windows NT/3.X platforms?

In the next six months to one year, possibly more, no, it won't be.

It will be on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

No, seriously, OS/2 2.x is definitely in the running now.  Actually,
come to think of it, I was serious when I mentioned Nintendo...

And innovative applications are fine, but (a) some of us want to keep
running lots of tried and true applications we aren't just going to
throw away; (b) innovation, in and of itself, even in this industry,
doesn't always sell.  If (b) were true, we'd all be using OS/2 1.4
right now.

(Incidently, I should say at this point that I wish NT success.  Well,
more precisely, I wish NT parity -- it shouldn't be so successful that
we all live in a one party state, so to speak.  Competition is
healthy.)

>Now, since you've volunteered... answer the rest of the questions in the list!
>Why did the NT developers conference have 4,600 and IBM is hoping
>for only 800 at their October conference?

Because those keeping tabs on NT are starved for information?  Because
Bill Gates has more groupies than Lee Reiswig?  Because NT hasn't been
released, while OS/2 is in thousands of stores?

I don't really see how attendance at a developer's conference
correlates with the ultimate success or failure of the product
discussed.  I went to the NeXT rollout in Boston -- Symphony Hall was
filled to the rafters -- and we're not all NeXTStepping it now, are
we?  Milli Vanilli sold out large arenas, after all.

>Why is half my e-mail from this group requests from people on how to
>get NT?  If OS/2 is not having ISV trouble, then why is Zachmann
>complaining about all those vendors "following Microsoft down the
>garden path"?

Because there is no NT Frequently Asked Questions List?  (Is there?)
Because NT isn't in any stores?  Because any person who reads Time
Magazine or watches Good Morning America knows how to get OS/2?
Because not everyone qualifies for a free subscription to Infoworld
(or lies well enough), hence not everyone is on the "choice" mailing
lists?  Because people like computer collectibles?  Because people
aren't likely to approach you to ask about the latest release of
AutoCAD?  Because Microsoft botched the "pre-beta" NT rollout?

Why is Zachmann complaining?  No question marks here.  Because he is a
columnist, expressing his opinion, in an editorial, intended to
provoke discussion and, occasionally, a bit of controversy.

-- 
Timothy F. Sipples      | The OS/2 FREQ. ASKED QUESTIONS LIST is avail. from
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