Hello All!

Well, it is official now. There will never be another OS/2 client. IBM has
decided that it is not in their customers interest to release (or have
released) another OS/2 client.

It is time to begin and have a serious look at alternative OS's to use in the
near future. Although OS/2 still does what it is supposed to do (and good at
that too!), it is falling further behind by the day. Trying to install Warp4
on a modern day system is a pain in the proverbial donkey and it is getting
harder and harder to find new hardware that is supported.

Don't get me wrong: I *love* OS/2 and use it every day. But now IBM has
finally made it official that there will never again be a new OS/2 client,
there is absolutely to reason anymore for vendors to keep supporting it and
the "falling behind" rate will increase dramaticly.


Take a look at the following:

***********************

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

****************************

... Yes, God has a sense of humor! I'm here, ain't I?

Zo! En nu eerst een melk!
// Frits //

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