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| Date: | Fri, 11 Sep 1998 16:03:26 EST |
| From: | sbtaus@ibm.net |
| Reply-To: | |
| To: | 32bits@sbt.net.au |
| Subject: | OS/2 News, Views & PRs 12/4/97 |
OS/2 News, Views & PRs 12/4/97
In this issue......
Activex
DOS VDM keyboard polling
EDM2 April is out - new coverage
Galactic Civilizations Expansion Pack Available
have seen new OS2 version!!
Hobbes OS2 Archive at New Mexico State University
LogoArt
NewS3 drivers
Oberon Software, call for Beta Testers
Oberon Software, Inc. new URL
OS 2 Overview HSBC IBM Global Banking Technology Partnership
OS2 e-Zine! Reader Survey Hardware
OS2 Reseller List is OnLine!
OS2, 3D and
Personal Announcement
PolyEx Software changes domains
PolyExFlightdemo
Rat's OS2 Palace Page Updated
RSM 4
Sydney SIG Lotus Domino
SwapMonitor 2.00
The Unofficial OS2 Warp Home Page Updated
Vigilance On Talos V NOW SHIPPING!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In a recent issue of Australian Reseller News there was a brief
mention of OS/2, "The rats left OS/2's sinking ship":
"What's worse , OS/2 interface - once light years ahead
of the competitors - has suffered from a near total lack of development
effort, leaving it looking outdated compared with Windows"
Isn't it amazing how people who do NOT use OS/2 can make such profound
assesments ?
Do users who have used both really think so ?
Syd (about 50 years old) and George (20+ y o) work for Telstra. About six
months ago they came here to buy 2 PCs for home . Those PCs came pre loaded
with Win 95 , and that's what they wanted . Few weeks ago , George came in
asked to have OS/2 on his PC. I asked George why did he want OS/2 now , and
he told me : when I was buying the PC I was at Uni and I was told I need Win
95 . So why do you want OS/2 now ? I have seen you guys using it and I like
what I saw.
He now had OS/2 for about 4 weeks. I asked him again what he thinks of it:
I like it. It's a lot different to Windows. It's better.
Last week, we installed OS/2 on Syd's PC as well:
"George showed me his system, I want mine set up like his"
//hey, Robert - you do remember Syd from Broadway, don't you ?//
Larry runs NT on his HP Vectra with twin PPro 200MHZ. He used to run Warp in
the past. He says he needs to run NT as he can not do without MSOffice -
especially Excel and Word. When he first went to NT few month ago, I asked
how he finds using NT for communications, fax and email:
"There is no comparison, you're light years ahead with PMfax/FaxWorks"
"threading is next to non-existent in Windows apps, my mailer appears to run
a single thread across both CPUs"
Last month he installed Warp4, his first look at Warp4: His comments: I
really miss the functionality of OS/2 compared to NT, now that I had a look
at Warp4 I can see a lot of OS/2 features NT/95 does not have.
He also said a single PPro with OS/2 gave him an acceptable performance, but
he needed twin PPro for NT/Office.
//I shouldn't complain - he left his "old" PPro150 with me till he decides
what to do with it - and with the onset of cold weather in Sydney, I figured
out I'd better keep it warm - so I plugged it into my PC, just to prevent
it from rusting, ofcourse. I must admit, though, I haven't seen a GIANT
improvemnt in performance over Pentium150. Now that I think about
it, I should've timed some NeoN3D processing. Will Larry want Quad
PPro500 when NT5 comes.....? If I look well after this orphaned PPro, maybe
he will get me to look after the twins too......... //
===========================================================================
OK, so GSM phones do have some advantages:
If you're on Telstra network ( sorry - I don't know if/what facitilites are
offered by Optus/Vodac) you gain free access to Internet (air-time charges
apply of course). Once you register, you get an email id like:
6141xxxxxxx@mobilenet.telstra.net and you can receive Internet mail as SMS
mesages on your GSM phone. You can also send SMS messages from your phone
but only to other GSM phones on Telstra network. You can not send SMS
as email from the phone - let's hope that will come! If you need to send to
other networks, check out RedRock in Melbourne at www.redrock.com.au
============================================================================
Positive OS/2 in GCN Fm: Christopher Pratt 75424,3563
In the March 31st, 1997 issue of Government Computer News there is a piece
written by GCN staff person, Bill Murray, on page 38 that is very positive
re: OS/2 Warp.
In short, it lists 8 Gov't agencies that use OS/2 Warp, and highlights one
of them.
The National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution is the focus of
the article.
I spoke to them about our Software Distribution Server (Warp Server) and how
we serve all of our apps to our OS/2 clients. The article turned out
differently than I expected, but still positive. There is also a screen shot
of my Warp 4 desktop.
The headline reads: "Air and Space stays with OS/2". Bill Murray seems to be
a very fair and responsible journalist.
The other federal agencies listed:
Bureau of Land Management,
Defense Information Systems Agency,
Federal Aviation Administration,
National Institutes of Health,
Navy,
Office of Personnel Management, and
US Geological Survey.
GCN web page: http://www.gcn.com
Search for articles in their back issues for March 1997. Scroll down the
list and you will see the headline, "Air and Space stays with OS/2". This
will get you the full text, but not the screen shot of the desktop.
You can also subscribe online for a free one year subscription.
It has some interesting news from time to time. Not long ago, they
highlighted Indelible Blue's contract with DOD for IBM AntiVirus.
=====================================================================================
Sb: #QUAKE for OS/2!! Fm: MSF/NY-Jaime Cruz, Jr. 72267,1372 To: ALL
I just found a real interesting little program... it's a (semi) native
version of Quake for OS/2 Warp 4!! It looks as though someone used the Linux
port as the basis for this port (it requires the EMX Runtime libraries), but
otherwise runs as a full screen session under Warp4.
It has some limitations: No joystick support, no CD-ROM music support, and
it will only play in a 320x200 resolution, but it is *FAST* and most
importantly, it will use the OS/2 TCP/IP stack to play across the internet!
I've heard some interesting theories about this game. Since ID has been all
too willing to express their disdain for IBM and OS/2 users, it's a
certainty that *THEY* didn't write the port (though early on in the
development process they said they would). The README that comes with the
game doesn't mention any names or E-Mail addresses, so it looks as though
the author doesn't want to be known.
Speculations on the Internet imply that the original source code was somehow
acquired "illegally" (though I thought most Linux programs were distributed
with the source?) and ported without ID's consent. When ID learned of the
effort, they threatened legal action, so the author wrapped it up in its
current state and just released it on the Internet.
This thing is ONLY the executable portion of the game. You still need either
the shareware or the full registered version of the game for the data files.
Also, the author implies that Warp4 is required (probably because of the
multimedia enhancements of that version over previous versions of Warp), but
it's possible it may work with Warp3 + Fixpack 26.
Has anyone else heard about this??
Colin Hildinger's "Ultimate OS/2 Gaming Page?" He
has a link to it. Look at http://www.ionet.net/~colin/games.html
Jaime A. Cruz, Jr. (Have you spoken to your PC today?).
============================================================================
====================
***********************************************************************
* Sydney PC Users Group *
* OS/2 Special Interest Group *
* ******************* *
* * April Meeting * *
* ******************* *
***********************************************************************
/////////////////////////////LOTUS DOMINO\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
When: Monday 21st April, 6pm start (prompt)
Where: Level 10, IBM Building, Corner Sussex & Market Sts, Sydney.
Topic: Lotus Domino.
Guest Speaker: Jane Morris (Lotus)
Jane Morris writes: "Find out about Lotus Domino - the first groupware
and e-mail server for the Net. Discover Domino's rich set of services,
it's integrated application development environment, inbuild Internet
capabilities and seamless enterprise integration. All of which make
Lotus Domino 4.5 the only server which lets you build, deploy and
maintain secure interactive applications on the internet and corporate
intranets."
Door Prize Raffle: Of course!
Q&A: Bring your OS/2 problems/ideas/needs to the meeting and have the
assembled intellect solve them!
See you there!
Chris Halliday
OS/2 SIG Leader
* RM 1.31 0375 * One-seventh of your life is spent on Mondays.
=========================================================================
Launched with Merlin:
PolyEx Software changes domains
---------------------------------------------------------------------
PolyEx Softwares domain is now http://www.polyex.com
Please update your links.
================================================================
Adam Hall
President, PolyEx Software
Makers of the Wordup Graphics Toolkit for OS/2
and Vigilance On Talos V Game for OS/2 Warp
Come check out our code at http://www.polyex.com
"Remember when we first landed on this planet? It was a really beautiful
garden"
-Baron (Rainbow Bridge- Maui 07/1970
AD)
=====================================================================
Vigilance On Talos V NOW SHIPPING!
Reply-to: polyex@mail.netsrq.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Vigilance On Talos V NOW SHIPPING!
Due to the huge demand for Vigilance On Talos V the new game for OS/2 from
PolyEx Software, we have started shipping the product early. Vigilance On
Talos V is an exciting game in the tradition of Metroid that takes advantage
of FullScreen OS/2 as well as DIVE, and uses the 32 channel Digital Sound and
Music Interface for OS/2 f, it is also the first game released for OS/2 that
uses the Wordup Graphics Toolkit as well.
Go to http://www.polyex.com for more information
Adam Hall President, PolyEx Software
Makers of the Wordup Graphics Toolkit for OS/2
and Vigilance On Talos V Game for OS/2 Warp
Come check out our code at http://www.polyex.com
"Remember when we first landed on this planet? It was a really beautiful
garden" -Baron (Rainbow Bridge- Maui 07/1970 AD)
=====================================================================
WARNING: PolyEx Software and Julien Pierre assume no responsibility for any
damaged to your system, software, or hardware in any way including loss of
productivity. USE THIS SOFTWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Flight/2 - Wordup Graphics Toolkit and Digital Sound Music Interface
Technology Demo.
The Wordup Graphics Toolkit is a full-featured cross-platform solution for
high-speed graphics development in OS/2 for Watcom 10.6 C/C++.
Digital Sound and Music Interface is a full 32 channel, sound mixing and
module file library.
These demos requires the Hi-Resolution Timer and DIVE to be installed on
your OS/2 System. This components come standard on OS/2 ver 4.0 Multimedia.
or write:
PolyEx Software
1410 Magellan Drive Suite 201
Sarasota, Florida 34243 USA
(941) 751-0254
For more information on Digital Sound and Music Interface contact:
Madbrains (Julien Pierre) Home Page at http://www.netsrq.com/~madbrain
Remember to keep all .dlls in your libpath or current directory!
Readers' I/O
=========================================================================
//I recall when I started using OS/2 we had a few DOS apps which really kept
keyboard polling sapping all CPU cycles, one of them was a Clipper-compiled
dBase system. An easy demo for those not familiar with the problem, load
Xtree Gold and watch your Pulse top-flatline - infact, you'll probably see
less CPU usage when using Xtree as against an idle Xtree. And that's why
people use Ztree Bold, an OS/2 Xtree work-alike//
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To those who responded:
Thank you very much!
Most of the stuff about idle sensitivity, time slices etc. I already
knew, I've been using os/2 for a while.
My problem is a (typical for windows) problem of continual polling by an
application that is really not doing anything. As long as the
application keeps polling, os/2 keeps giving it (some but not all)
time. The answer I was after is quoted below.
Thanks again... Regards, Greg
Geoff Worboys wrote:
Greg, (cc SBT)
I had some DOS apps that required IDLE_SENSITIVITY adjustments to reduce
their CPU useage and some which nothing appeared to fix. I found a
solution to all of them...
I now use a DOS product called TAME loaded from the autoexec file. This
has solved all of my DOS 100% CPU problems. It was quick and simple to
use and install, a great product all round. Now all my DOS apps work
well using the default OS/2 settings which saves me a lot of hassle.
Compuserve - OS2USER Lib 4 filename: TAME333.ZIP.
Internet - http://www.mindspring.com/~dgthomas/tame.htm
Shareware app, only $20US to register - I am not the author just an
impressed user :-)
NOTE: I use OzWin II (a WinOS2 application) for Compuserve access.
While ever it is online the CPU still runs at 100% but other
applications appear to operate more smoothly while-ever Tame is loaded.
Geoff Worboys
Telesis Computing
gworboys@zeta.org.au
================================================================
EDM/2 April is out - new coverage
Reply-to: bcrwhims@calum.csclub.uwaterloo.ca (Carsten Whimster)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
EDM/2 April Issue is out -- Volume 5 Issue 4
We can be found at http://www.edm2.com/ and you will find all our issues
available for download, as well as online.
This month's content is as follows:
From the Editor
The Codesmith's Library - The Art of OS/2 Warp Programming
OOPS Avenue - Building a Simple Editor
The News
Xit 2.3 - Software Review
12 Common C Errors
An Introduction to C Programming - Part 8
Inside the High Performance File System - Part 5
As usual, our focus is on programming for OS/2. Unlike usual, we have
expanded to include reviews of power-user and graphics software. This
month's review is of the excellent WPS utility Xit.
This new direction will be expanding, and I hope to add more graphics and
power-user columns in the near future.
=====
EDM/2 is a high-quality, serious OS/2 publication which is located on the
web at http://www.edm2.com/.
EDM/2 has been publishing for five years now. We have received awards and
raves for as long as we have been publishing. See our Testimonials page
for more details.
EDM/2 includes articles on programming, networking, power-user issues,
graphics software, development software, related hardware, and much much
more. If you are interested in writing in some OS/2 related field, please
contact editor@edm2.com to discuss getting set up as an author. Many of our
best past authors have been offered fantastic job opportunities based on
their involvement with EDM/2.
EDM/2 accepts advertising to help cover the costs related to publishing,
but is otherwise a volunteer setup. Sponsorships are also available. See
our site for more details.
=====================================================================
have seen new OS/2 version!!
I went to a networking conference that was given by
the NE IBM ps sales rep. They did a demo of the new
operating system they are bringing out. quite impressive.
It was called "NCOS" on the screen if I recall, and
"Client Operating System" but he said those are just
beta names. This is not OS/2 4.1 or 5.0. I specifically
asked him too if they were then changing plans for warp.
He said warp (it won't be called warp anymore, and will lose
the 'OS/2' name) is still developing along with this operating
system (NCOS).
NCOS is was quite impressive. it is designed for the new
NetPCs. It is basically OS/2 without the Presentation Manager.
and tuned quite a bit for net stuff.
Ok, how it went. He had 6 thinkPads (TP) each representing
a server, and one TP client. he first demostrated a limited
client. the client could do one thing. use Netscape. That
is all when he booted the machine netscape started fullscreen.
he killed nescape, netscape disappeared then automatically
reappeared.
next he clicked a button on the server. then went back to
the client TP and clicked right then selected refresh. Now
he was able to use two things Paint Brush (win 3.11) and
NS. he did this for several things, he simple had to gain/
remove access to the items for the user on the server.
This may not seem impessive, but when he turned on the think
pad it was empty, that means the cache(hard drive in this case)
was completely void of anything, no software and NO operating
system. When it booted it downloaded the operating system and
the specific software for the client (this was remarkbly fast,
but as he said if you have 1000 clients it won't be. This is
where he explained that the new 'Net On' is great. he can
schedule a computer to turn on like 1 hour before a person
comes to work, loading the OS, apps, and news for the day, etc)
The next impressive thing was what apps he showed. Netscape 2.02, Paint
Brush win 3.11, CMD prompts, Corel Office for JAVA,
and most importantly Excel 7.0 for Win95/NT. OK don't get
too excited I believe this was not running locally, but on
the server, but simply using the new OS/2 win95 client software
to run apps on a server but viewed locally.
He also gave demos of Warp Server 4.0 with all of the new addons. such
as, working with windows 95/NT clients and
servers. They were totally seemlessly integrated into the
system. He jumped from server to server to access each one
from warp server. kind of cool, but I don't know too much
about the server stuff.
thats all.
Lance
============================================================
LogoArt1.0-Graphics
Fm: Marcelo Krebber 100022,2013
*******************************************************************
*
* New vector oriented graphics software for OS/2
*
*******************************************************************
April, 1997
LogoArt Graphics Artist for OS/2 Version 1.0 is now available in English and
German!!!!
WORKLab System Solutions, Munich, announces the first commercial version of
LogoArt for OS/2, a vector-orientated graphics application which comes with
features like:
- splines, fillets, multisplines and many other tools - bitmap objects,
bitmap handling, import and export - vectorizing and conversion tool -
Interlaced GIF with color transparency (also USEMAP-support for HTML-pages
thru the pipette) - bitmap-browser - fast creation of thumbnails - full
workplace shell integration - lots of drag & drop - more than 1000 cliparts
in LogoArt Format - and a lot more features
Logoart is at A$140.- (suggested retail price), the affordable tool for
creating business cards, postcards, posters, labels, presentations or any
other graphical artwork.
Download a demo-version, visit the WORKLab Homepage at
WORKLab System Solutions CID: 100022,2013 Fax: +49 89/540 710 74 http://www.worklab.com
// look for full review in Your Computer... (next issue??)//
Attention users groups: we have a limited quantity of LogoArt 30-day trial
CDs. If you send us your snail-mail address *AND* how many members you have
on average per meeting, we'll send you some CDs for distribution
reply to this is, subject LogoArt SIG offer, thanks
========================================================================
There are brand new S3 drivers for OS/2 available from www.s3.com. The
drivers are version 3.03.07 or somthing, dated 4th April!
Surprisingly, if you look at the drivers in general, and especially for the
common 864/964 set, the OS/2 drivers are the ONLY drivers dated 1997. In
fact, the last Windows 95 drivers for the 864/964 set are beta and dated
Jan 96. Interesting support wise considering that S3 based cards are
generally the most prolifant at the moment and that S3 are opting to update
the OS/2 ones (and neglecting the others?).
Ashton
========================================================================
The Unofficial OS/2 Warp Home Page Updated
Reply-to: jpjehu@telebyte.nl
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Unofficial OS/2 Warp Home Page is updated with more news, links, and
applications. With over 15000 hits already and having won the OS/2 E-zine
'Week of the Site' award, it is certainly worth a visit.
Come visit at http://www.telebyte.nl/~jpjehu
or at http://www.abts.net/~dtorres (mirror in US)
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
SwapMonitor 2.00
Reply-to: bmt@wilmington.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------
A new version of SwapMonitor has been released: Version 2.00
Description: SwapMonitor is a utility that displays in a small window on
your desktop displaying the SWAPPER.DAT file size and warns you when its
size changes.
In addition to monitoring your swap file these features are also included:
1. Process Killer
2. Clock
3. Drive info (size, label, space, file system etc.)
If you have SPM/2 product from IBM, you can also display swapper.dat
analysis, process analysis, memory analysis and working set measurements.
(see READTHIS.TXT in archive)
SwapMonitor is highly configurable and is fully WPS aware.
For more information see http://www.bmtmicro.com/catalog/swapmon.html or
download a demo from ftp://ftp.bmtmicro.com/bmtmicro/swapm200.zip
Registration is $15.00
=====================================================================
Galactic Civilizations Expansion Pack Available!
Reply-to: wardell@ibm.net (Brad Wardell)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The most popular OS/2 game of all time, Galactic Civilizations has won
numerous awards and made itself known as one of the best strategy games of
all time. With a combination of epic game play and advanced programming
technology, Galactic Civilizations takes you to a new universe where only
your imagination limits you.
To celebrate the 4th anniversary of the original concept of Galactic
Civilizations (April 1993 was when GalCiv I was designed), Stardock is
releasing the Expansion pack for Galactic Civilizations II.
The Expansion pack adds a host of new technologies, new star ships, new
graphics, and modifies the game and its rules based on years of feedback
from GalCiv players. Planets can grow larger, technologies are more
difficult to reach, the computer players are smarter, the user interface is
better. There's even a new opponent to face -- the Ominorians.
Some of the new features include the ability to change all your military
projects from one to another eliminating the need for having to visit planet
to planet. It is now easier to work with star fleets as they will now stay
together in a group as you send them on their way to a distant part of the
galaxy. A new type of ship, "The Odin Class", can see all the ships in a
given quadrant regardless of their stealthy abilities. But Stealth ships are
now stealthier than ever and Odin ships, while unique in its ability, is
very vulnerable to attack.
The computer players aren't just smarter, in some cases, whole personalities
have been rewritten from scratch to fit the strategies of expert GalCiv
players. If you're very good at GalCiv, don't count on walking over the
aliens this time. The game is still settable to be easy for newer players as
well.
Even small cosmetic changes have been made. From text resizing to make it
easier to read all the way up to redrawing star ships to make them look
nicer.
Quadrants now get their own unique backgrounds to give the galaxy a more
intense feel to it.
There are many many improvements to GalCiv and additions to the game that
will truly expand the game's reach. The Expansion Pack is a must-have for
any Galactic Civilizations player.
Users can now order and download the Expansion Pack from Stardock's website:
http://www.stardock.com.
Its introductory price is $14.95!
=================================================
Brad Wardell, Project Manager: Entrepreneur
Stardock Systems, Inc. http://www.stardock.com
Next Generation gaming, applications, and JAVA
=================================================
Coming soon: Entrepreneur! Start a company and conquer the world!
=====================================================================
Oberon Software, Inc. new URL
Reply-to: oberon@prairie.lakes.com (Brady Flowers)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Oberon Software's web site has been moved to a spiffy new URL:
If you have bookmarks to our old site or links on your web page, please
revise them. (A redirector page will reside at the old URL for an indefinite
length of time.)
We have tried to make the change seamless for users with authorized access.
If you had access to any of our customer or client files sub pages or beta
test pages and cannot get to them now, please drop e-mail to Brady Flowers -
oberon@prairie.lakes.com - and let him know.
Of course, if you've never been to our home page, you're welcome to check it
out now.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Oberon Software has been developing OS/2 software and providing OS/2 related
services since 1988. More than just a specialty, OS/2 related products and
services are Oberon Software's only business. Oberon products include TE/2,
TE/2 Pro!, Oberon Personal VoiceMail Assistant, DiskStat, LstPM, and the
Commpak/2 Programmer's Toolkit for creating telecommunications routines under
OS/2. In addition, Oberon Software has developed unique, OS/2 based solutions
for a number of major corporations in the banking and telecommunication
industries.
Oberon Software, Inc.
1405 East Main Street Mankato, MN 56001-5070 USA
Phone: 507-388-7001 FAX: 507-388-7568
BBS: 507-388-1154
E-Mail: oberon@prairie.lakes.com http://www.OberonSoftware.com
=====================================================================
Oberon Software, call for Beta Testers
Source: oberon@prairie.lakes.com (Brady Flowers)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Oberon Software, Inc. will be releasing updates to a number of its products
over the course of the next two months. We are in need of a few, good
beta/gamma testers who would like to assist us with quality assurance.
Some of our products which are either currently in testing or are scheduled
for test in the near future are: TE/2 "Classic", TE/2 Pro, OBCOMIO Programmers
Toolkit, and various Java based tools. Testers will receive a full license
for the finished product in return for their assistance.
If you are interested in helping test any of our products, please drop an
e-mail to Brady Flowers at oberon@prairie.lakes.com to receive a tester
application.
-----------------------------------------------------------
OS/2 Overview: HSBC/IBM Global Banking Technology Partnership (fwd)
OS/2 OVERVIEW
1996 Product Review
-------------------
1996 proved to be a very aggressive and productive year in the history
of IBM OS/2. During 1996, IBM Personal Software Products Division
(PSP) delivered the following products to the market:
OS/2 Warp Server February, 1996
Directory & Security Server for OS/2 July, 1996
OS/2 Warp 4 September, 1996
OS/2 Warp Server SMP September, 1996
According to Mentis Corp, a leading banking research firm:
* OS/2 has increased its overall client operating system share among
large banks from 9 percent in 1994 to a projected 25 percent in 1996
(survey conducted in mid-1996).
* OS/2 holds a nearly 33 percent market share in all large US banks
for its server operating system.
Strategies and Positioning
--------------------------
A number of strategies have been set for OS/2's long term development:
* Network Computing strategy
* Focus on medium-to-large corporate customers
- Financial Institutions
- Insurance firms
- Fortune 100
* Promote Java technology
* Release product enhancements on a `Web Year' basis
The OS/2 strategy is now fully supportive of and consistent with IBM's
overall network computing direction. In early August, IBM began
pomoting the importance of Java to OS/2's future. Java is the
catalyst for OS/2 and a network computing world. It can add an
essential element to OS/2 by offering third party applications. With
IBM and the industry's support of Java, OS/2 can be one of the biggest
beneficiaries of this developing industry paradigm.
IBM is accelerating investments in OS/2-based network computing
solutions that leverage and extend customers' and business partners'
existing client/server investments. Henceforward, IBM has committed to
deliver network computing capabilities that leverage the existing
client/server investments of OS/2 Warp and OS/2 Warp Server customers.
Offerings such as OS/2 implementations of net.commerce, Lotus Domino,
and firewall protection, will complement other IBM network computing
solutions.
In addition, in support of the broad industry move to open Java and
IBM"s stated companywide commitment in this direction, OS/2 will
support Java application environments and development tools. Network
computing enhancements for the OS/2 environment will be focused on
network access, better availability (via clustering), and
interoperability.
The goal is that existing mission-critical and host-based applications
can be accessed by and integrated with new Java applications, while
end-users retain current application capabilities. This will enable
IBM's customers to smoothly transition from client/server environments
to network computing environments, while protecting their existing,
sizable OS/2-based IT infrastructure and assets.
Upcoming Developments
---------------------
IBM plans to rapidly bring multiple product enhancements -- on both
the client and server side -- to the marketplace during 1997 in "Web
Year" development cycles. This will produce enhancements aimed at
transitioning customers from a client/server environment to the
emerging network computing model. The next major upgrade for OS/2 Warp
will occur during 1998 on both the client and server products. This
upgrade will include all the enhancements that we rolled out during
1997 as well as new functionality.
Recent New Releases & 1997 Highlights
-------------------------------------
Navigator for OS/2 beta October 1996
Navigator for OS/2 GA December 1996
Domino for OS/2 beta November 1996
Java v1.02 beta for Warp 4 November 1996
Java v1.02 GA January 1997
Java for Warp & Warp Connect Q1 1997
Java for Warp Server 1H 1997
e-Commerce Server for OS/2 1H 1997
Bronco GA 1H 1997
Next major upgrade for Warp 1998
Next major upgrade for Warp 1998
Warp Server support for Networ Station 1H 1997
Clustering 2H 1997
Market Analysis
---------------
Most of IBM's largest customers use OS/2 as the base operating system
to run IBM's middleware and application products. OS/2 and its related
products provided well over 50% of the IBM Software Group
client/server revenue in 1995 (excluding acquisitions). According to
IDC, the installed base of OS/2 servers through the 2nd quarter of
1996 is 391,000 file and print servers and 527,000 application
servers.
The companies running these systems are all of IBM's largest accounts.
The same people that purchase S/390s -- which are accounting for more
than two-thirds of IBM's software sales in 1996 (Source: Duff & Phelps
Credit Rating Analysis of IBM, August 20, 1996) -- are purchasing or
have purchased millions of dollars worth of OS/2 client and server
products.
According to IDC, OS/2 servers grew worldwide market share from 14.1%
to 15.2% from the end of 1995 through the first half of 1996.
OS/2 servers maintained the number two position in total server
installed based, including file and print and application and sharing,
against Novell NetWare and beating all UNIX systems combined as
follows:
- Novell NetWare: 42.8%
- IBM OS/2: 12.3%
- Microsoft NT: 10.9%
According to recent PC LAN Cost of Ownership survey conducted by
Business Research Group comparing Warp Server, Windows NT, and Novell
NetWare:
- At small LAN sites, Warp Server had the lowest cost of labor per
server;
- recorded the fastest average time for 7 out of 10 tasks; and
- was rated the easiest to use in 9 out of 10 tasks.
March, 1997
=====================================================================
OS/2 Reseller List is OnLine!
Reply-to: chrisg@warpspeed.com.au (Chris Graham)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
As recently announced, WarpSpeed Computers has made available a service to
provide all users world wide a list of any and all reseller sites for OS/2
software.
This list is intended to be user run and modified. It will continued to be
modified and improved over time as comments and feedback come it.
So, where is it?
http://www.warpspeed.com.au/resell.htm To add sites to the list
http://www.warpspeed.com.au/reselllist.htm The list itself.
-Chris
WarpSpeed Computers - The Graham Utilities for OS/2.
Voice: +61-3-9384-1060 PO Box 212 FidoNet: 3:632/344
FAX: +61-3-9386-9979 Brunswick Internet: chrisg@warpspeed.com.au
BBS: +61-3-9386-3104 VIC 3056 CompuServe: 100250,1645
300-28,800 N,8,1 ANSI Australia Web Pages:
http://www.netins.net/showcase/spectre
http://www.warpspeed.com.au
=====================================================================
Personal Announcement
Source: chrisg@warpspeed.com.au@warpspeed.com.au (Chris Graham)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Christoper Paul Graham
and
Kathryn Elizabeth Eilenberg
will be wed on Saturday the 19th of Aril 1997.
We will be on a honeymoon until early May. As I will be away, please do not
expect a quick reply to any correspondence.
Thanks,
-Chris
WarpSpeed Computers - The Graham Utilities for OS/2.
http://www.warpspeed.com.au
//Congratulations to Chris & Kathryn, and all the best.
hmmm, will Peter Norton be there ?//
=====================================================================
Rat's OS2 Palace Page Updated
Reply-to: ratfish@concentric.net (Randy Kayfish)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Rat's OS/2 Palace has been updated with new Artwork, a couple of new
Cartoons, a short review of Impos/2 version 2 and a few new Links
added. Come on and visit, any suggestions welcome. My page was done
entirely using OS/2 Software. This is an OS/2 only page for content but
all visitors welcome. If you live in the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area
please drop me some email just to say you were there. Any news about
OS/2 or IBM in general for insertion into my page would be welcome.
Rat - A Warped Attitude -
Warp Factor 4 and climbing.
=====================================================================
Hobbes OS2 Archive at New Mexico State University
Reply-to: archiver@hobbes.nmsu.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------
HOBBES is back. :)
Oh, and with a vengeance. Right now there are about 3.8 gigs of disk space
available, and the ability to have up to 70 gigs. We won't be having any of
these repartitioning downtimes for quite some time. :)
--
Joshua Shagam, Hobbes OS/2 Archive Maintainer
archiver@hobbes.nmsu.edu
http://hobbes.nmsu.edu
=====================================================================
OS2 e-Zine! Reader Survey: Hardware
Reply-to: editor@os2ezine.com (Trevor @ OS/2 e-Zine!)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
**Add your voice to the OS/2 e-Zine! Reader Survey**
We want to know what kind of machine you run OS/2 on. Drop by our WWW
site at:
Have a look at our latest issue and fill out the on-line form to participate
in our survey. That's all there is to it!
The "OS/2 e-Zine! Reader Survey" is a new, regular feature of OS/2 e-Zine!.
Survey submissions must be received by Haligonian Media on or before April
13th to be counted. Results of this month's survey will be posted in our
next issue (April 16th, 1997). -----
OS/2 e-Zine! is a monthly, electronic, OS/2 magazine published free of
charge since 1995 on the WWW (http://www.os2ezine.com/) and in zipped format
to BBS's and FTP sites worldwide. Its purpose is to encourage the use and
discussion of OS/2 and its native software. Every issue reaches over 35,000
readers and contains news, reviews, tips and articles relevant to the novice
and experienced OS/2 user.
Trevor Smith
Editor-in-Chief, OS/2 e-Zine!
editor@os2ezine.com
//===========================================
// OS/2 e-Zine! - http://www.os2ezine.com/
// published by Haligonian Media
The best OS/2 reading ANYWHERE.
=====================================================================
Microsoft's Dirty Little Secret
Errors-To: anchordesk-errors@lists.zdnet.com
_________Berst Alert____________________
MICROSOFT'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET.
PSSSST! IT'S ABOUT ACTIVEX
http://www.anchordesk.com/story/story_813.html
It's no secret that ActiveX is a security risk. Ask
anyone. Intuit. Even Microsoft. The dirty little
secret Microsoft would rather you *not* know about
is that ActiveX *can't* be made more secure without
overhauling Windows security. Discover why Microsoft
got in the secrets business at the Web site.
__________Need-To-Know____________________
ON THE ZDNN RADAR SCREEN TODAY
http://www.anchordesk.com/story/story_826.html
Next version of Windows delayed, again. When Memphis
beta is released it likely won't include the much-hyped
integration of Internet Explorer 4.0. No surprise,
really. Just another example of Microsoft doing what
it wants, when it wants.
============================================================================
Voytek Eymont
SBT Information Systems Pty Ltd
44 Chippen Street, Chippendale NSW 2008
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~sbt
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