Paul Person wrote in a message to Keith Thomson:
[snip]

 PP> You do realize that the Red Book states that the only
 PP> official method of  communicating with the console in a
 PP> command-line OS/2 program is  stdin/stdout? That is,
 PP> KEY/MOU/VIO will never be 32-bit and may not even  function
 PP> if OS/2 1.x support is dropped in the future?`

Prelogue note: this message I wrote is in no way a flame nor a personal
insult against you, but merely a disagreement with your views on the
direction of a superb os.

  That last statement you said, got me thinking. 

  If a future version of OS/2 doesn't support versions of OS/2 prior to
version 2 ( versions 1.x which is 16-bit and version 2+/3+ is 32-bit),
then how about creating a "Dual Boot" for not only between DOS
and OS/2 and WIN, but also for OS/2 version 1.x.  This would allow 100%
true compatibility with old OS/2 programs while not degrading the OS.  This
would greatly enhance the performance of the operating system without
comprising the use of old programs. However, these v1.x programs will no
longer be able to run at the same time with the 32-bit apps.  But then
again, if you 'Dual Boot' (IBM tm) programs prior to v2, then you would
also have to get rid of the VDMs and VMBs that many of us constantly are
still using.

   I do not believe IBM will drop the support for v1.x nor DOS - THIS WOULD
BE OS/2s SUICIDE/HOMICDE (depending on how you look at it.)  Look at
Microsoft, many people are claiming that MS could not get it straight when
they made Windows 95 for the reasons: 

              1. the OS is still on top of DOS, and 
              2. the os still has 16-bits  chunks.

  Why did MS do this for Win 95? 
 
  For the same reason IBM will not drop OS/2 support for prior versions of
OS before v2.   Why?   This leads to the Intel and Motorola chips  --- 
backwards compatibility. Just think of all those BBS operators (including
me) that have a 16-bit OS/2 mailer/ 16-bit OS/2 tosser/ 16-bit OS/2 bbs /
and various 16-bit text-based or 16-bit PM programs running on their
computers. It would SHATTER these old reliable programs. 

  Much to say, I hate DOS, I wish DOS was dead along with all the other
things which keeps great operating systems like OS/2 from going forward to
be even a more superior operating system than what it already is...
However, I am dwelling in fantasy to believe IBM will trash DOS/OS2v1.x
compatibility.

  Look at IBM - they are still harnessing the great legacy hardware and
software of yesterday - but for today and tommorrow using today's
technology. Such as the System/390 mainframe and the the various software
such as object-oriented s/390 COBOL (yes OO COBOL), DB2, and CICS.

  Moreover, there is only one thing that will happen to OS/2: it will
advance to an object oriented operating sytem of the future - one we will
be crafting our own operating systems on our 'desktops' of the future.  The
'desktops' built on future x86 chips I assume that the future version of
OS/2 will still run the OLD programs.  But OS/2 on non-x86 computers
probably most-likely will NOT run OLD software whether emulation for the
x86 computers exists or not.

Thank you for reading my ramblings...
 - Daniel Morgan 

Permission is granted to re-distribute this, as long as the original
content of this message is kept intact unaltered.

dmorgan{at}netside.com

--- timEd/2 1.01