From: wayned@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (Wayne Desmond)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy
Subject: Open letter to Gordon Letwin
Date: 6 Oct 92 00:06:13 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida


Dear Mr. Letwin,

I purchased your book, "Inside OS/2", back in 1988 and read it
with interest, many times.  The cover is worn and the pages
dog-eared.  In your book, Bill Gates states in the Forward,
"OS/2 is destined to be a very important piece of software. 
During the next 10 years, millions of programmers and users will
utilize this system."  I am one of those, "millions of
programmers" that Mr. Gates refers to.  Your book and the strong,
positive press by IBM, Microsoft and especially Bill Gates,
convinced me that OS/2 was indeed the future in microcomputing. 
I bought all the OS/2 books from Microsoft Press and programmed
day and night to become proficient with this fabulous new
operating system.  Indeed, my furvor paid off.  I have been
constantly employed, as an OS/2 developer for the past several
years.

OS/2 was, in 1988, and is now, a fine operating system, powerful
and rich in features.  It is a pleasure to develop software that
was virtually impossible to implement under DOS, in OS/2.  It is
also pleasurable to see this fine operating system grow and
mature.  I am very pleased with version 2.0, it is much more
stable than the earlier versions.

I understand, that as the Chief Architect of OS/2, you must feel
very discouraged that "your baby" has become such a controversy.
Never the less, I find it a shame, and somewhat hypocritical,
that you and other Microsoft employees feel the need to publicly
decree that OS/2 is no longer the fine, capable, rich operating
system of the future that you, yourself originally designed.

Your practice of airing IBM and Microsoft's "dirty laundry" on
the Internet only confuses developers and users alike.  Everybody
loses, IBM, Microsoft, and most importantly, customers of both
companies.  That practice is counter-productive and only
depreciates users confidence in both Microsoft and IBM. If you
want to remain competitive in the operating systems marketplace,
I'd suggest you do just that, compete.

If NT, or whatever comes out of Redmond next is a
technologically superior product, developers and users will take
a serious look.  Let's keep the users in mind, offer them better
products at a better price, not flood the networks with name
calling and accusations.  I don't want to hear about it.  The
only posts I see from IBM employees are to support their
customers.  What a unique idea, you should consider it yourself.
Your company is supposed to develop software.  Why don't you
spend your time more constructively and start developing some? 
Maybe NT would be released a little earlier if you and some of
your fellow employees would work on the product instead of
bashing IBM.

Your recent postings have stirred a memory of the last time I
saw your name on Internet. If memory serves me correctly, the
last time you were posting, you claimed that IBM attorneys
served you with some kind of a "gag order" about posting.  John
Soyring, of IBM, publiclly denied knowledge of this and asked
you for a copy of the document.  Did you send this document to
IBM as requested?  I don't remember reading any posts from you
after that, until now.  I'm very interested as to the outcome of
this accusation.

I trusted you, Microsoft and Mr. Gates, when you convinced me
that future oportunity was knocking, if I only learned "The OS/2
Religion."  I believe I am getting a real taste of how Microsoft
operates now.  Your company does not care one bit about users or
developers.  It is my opinion that both you and Mr. Gates are so
rich now that the money doesn't even matter.  You are on an ego
trip and the computing community is along for the ride, and
paying for the ticket. 

By the way, I don't plan on buying any more of my development
tools, operating systems, books or magazines from Microsoft or
Microsoft Press.  I've thrown enough money at the both of you.

If you care to respond and convince me that I am mistaken about
your goodwill towards users and developers, or care to discuss
your motivation, please feel free to append to this news group,
or my e-mail address, if it would make you more comfortable.

Regards,
        Wayne Desmond


+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Wayne Desmond                     | Happily using and working (read:  |
| OS/2 Consultant/Programmer        | earning a GOOD living) with       |
| (wayned@cybernet.cse.fau.edu)     | OS/2, since version 1.1.          |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.advocacy