* Reply to a msg from Rob Basler @ 1:153/290 on 09-25-99        
 
 
 RB> Back in the Warp 3 days they did attempt to get people to use 
 RB> it, they also aggressively looked for preload agreements.  The 
 RB> MS trial in the states has had a lot of stories about how 
 RB> systems integraters were scared off preinstalling OS/2 by MS 
 RB> reps.  There was quite a bit of advertising for it in those 
 RB> days, both in trade mags and on TV of all things.  Why IBM 
 RB> decided to smother it, no one knows.  Some say that support cost 
 RB> too much, some say IBM did it to get a better preload deal for 
 RB> Windows 95, I don't know what is true. 
 
Easy answer!  Lack of corporate courage.  IBM lacked the balls to take on
MicroSoft in the consumer desktop market.  A REAL technology company would
have won the desktop in a heartbeat with OS/2.  At the time of Warp 3's
introduction OS/2 first level support was being sub-contracted to an outside
vendor.  Support costs could have been easily contained. A company the size of 
IBM could have taken Mr Gates into court over the preload issue and wrapped
MicroSoft around the proverbial axle for years. 
 
The truth is that IBM simply lacked the management gut's to carry a
technology forward that would put IBM on almost every desktop on the planet. 
Very sad...  - ray  
 
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