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From: "Brad Wardell"
Subject: Judgement Day results
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 13:46:45 -0400

In 1998, Stardock took the position that if IBM had no current or
projected plans for a new fat OS/2 client, that it was in the interests of
OS/2 users and the computing community in general that a third-party
should work with IBM to license OS/2 technology on an OEM basis and make a
new client available.

To that end, late last year, Stardock prepared a business plan and opened
negotiations with IBM. The wheels of bureacracy grind slowly, but
eventually it was up to "IBM" (executive level) to make the ultimate call
on proceeding.

For the past 6 months, Stardock and IBM have been working closely together
in hammering out the details of an OS/2 client. Everything from potential
names down to which minute components would or would not be included.
These meetings included multiple in-person meetings with IBM staff and
executives here at Stardock's office complex in Livonia Michigan.

With an agreement in principle in place, the last major hurdle was this
week in which the IBMers in favor of our proposal (mostly in Austin)
presented their case to IBM as a whole.

The call has been made -- there will be no new client from Stardock and
IBM has indicated that they have no plans for an OS/2-based client of
their own.

Though IBM indicated Stardock had the strongest proposal, they have
decided that it is currently not in IBM's or their customer's interests to
license any current OS/2 technology on an OEM-basis.

There was never any discord between IBM and Stardock over financials,
technical viability, target market, or the like. IBM has simply finally
made the decision that a new OS/2 client would be in conflict with their
strategic directions.

Stardock would like to extend a special thanks to all the IBMers (and in
particular Ken Christopher and Timothy Sipples) who went above and beyond
the call in working with us and going to bat inside IBM. Remember when you
meet folks like them, who are and have been intimately involved with OS/2,
that their hands may be just as tied as yours when the IBM Corporation as
a whole sets policy.

Everything that could be done was done.

Brad


Brad Wardell
Product Manager: Object Desktop & The Corporate Machine
http://www.stardock.com

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