From: jokim@jarthur.claremont.edu (John H. Kim)
Subject: Re: NoS/2 shipping yet?
Organization: Harvey Mudd College
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 22:21:03 GMT

Correction to OS/2 misinformation below.  Please ignore if you
don't plan to even consider OS/2.  You have been warned.



jsmolnar@descartes.waterloo.edu writes:

>>Nothing was left out.  It has all the features that it was supposed to
>>ship with, and will have even more features when 2.1 comes out, such
>>as SVGA support, etc.  Heck, it even does the things that Microshaft
>>weenies said could never be done, like run seamless windows.
>
>Well, hate to tell you this, but 32 bit Pm is not included,

The only feature announced some months ago that didn't make it
into OS/2 2.0 is the 32-bit graphics engine.  This, along with
Windows 3.1 compatibility will be included in a free bug fix (CSD).

> not all of seamless windows is included (ie SVGA, this is a fact), 

Since when did SVGA become a standard?

> On the other hand, Windows 3.1 is complete, ...
>So I think I will take the product I know is complete and doesn't require
>another few disks of upgrading in June...>

Are you saying there won't be a Windows 3.1a?

>>   - Drag and Drop for programs.  You drop a data file on a program,
>>     and the program runs on that data file.  OS/2 has it.
>
>Well, sorry, but 3.0 did have a drag and drop style FM.

Get your copy of 3.0 and try the following:

Drag a file from file manager to the printer spooler icon and drop it.
     Does it print?  It does under OS/2.
Drag a file from file manager to a PKZip front end and drop it.  Does it
     add the file to the currently opened zip archive?  It does under OS/2.

Your experience with 3.0 has led you to assume drag and drop is
limited to file manager and starting files.  It shouldn't be, and
it isn't under OS/2.  (Is this fixed in Windows 3.1?)

>>   - A built in font manager for scalable fonts.  OS/2 has had Adobe
>>     Type Manager integrated into the operating system for years.  
>
>Sorry, ATM has not been shipping with it for years, for I own it and know
>this for a fact.

ATM has been integrated with OS/2 since version 1.3.  Are you sure
you have v1.3, and not some older version?

>>- It has "Ole".  Neat.  Who cares?  Do any PROGRAMS use it?  The same
>>  features are available in OS/2, under a different name.  Nothing new here.
>
>First of all yes, a good few industry standard programs come available
>with it.

And OLE was just demoed yesterday on Windows running under OS/2.
So how is this an advantage of Windows?

>Nothing even close to OLE is available under OS/2.

This isn't my area so I won't say you're right or wrong.  Just ask in
comp.os.os2.misc about SOM.

>(though 32 bit support is available under windows 3.0 and 3.1 ..
>more so in the later)

Really?  Then why is it that people who use OS/2 2.0 have to worry
about an 80386 hardware bug that shows up only in 32-bit protected
mode, and people who use Windows don't?

>Windows is a hell of a lot better and will therefore fare better.
>OLE, MM Extensions, TT fonts, faster, better FM etc (and cleaner desktop
>than os/2 2.0) all lead to a nicer system to work with.  

OLE - will work under WinOS2, OS/2 might have its own version.
MM - will work under WinOS2, OS/2 has its own version.
TT - OS/2 and WinOS2 both use ATM, TT might be added to WinOS2.
faster - are you talking all apps in general or just Windows apps?
FM - If the point is to make a clean desktop, why should you have to
     worry about filenames on your hard disk?

This article typed while I was backing up my hard disk to floppies.
-- 
John H. Kim                 | (This space to be filled when I
jokim@jarthur.claremont.edu | think of something very clever 
uunet!jarthur!jokim         | to use as a disclaimer)