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25 Years of IBM's OS/2
harrymcc writes "On April 2nd, 1987 — 25 years ago today — IBM announced OS/2. It was supposed to be the next-generation operating system that would replace DOS. It never did. But for a famous failure, it's doing okay — it still runs the computers that manage the New York Subway's Metrocard fare cards, for instance. Over at TIME.com, I've taken a look at its occasional triumphs, frequent tribulations and enduring legacy."
...on aggressive partnering and OEM tactics. That was his real contribution to MS, nothing technical.
I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
os/2 was not able to windows 32 bit apps just 32s v 1.25, Now with it where able to run windows 32 bit apps then it may of killed windows 95.
But MS played it's tricks and os 2 was not pre loaded on that many systems.
fierce and underhanded business tactics
My memory is that you could buy Windows for $60, or OS/2 for $500 or thereabouts. Always thought that might have had something to do with it.
I'm going to invalidate mod points for this, but did you try to use Compact Flash memory cards as hard drives?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200175
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820313247
It may be cheaper/quieter/cooler/faster than trying to find working 80G disks.
Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
Not to mention anybody that was there and actually used it (I hung onto OS/2 all the way up until Win2K, after a horrible month attempting to run WinME and being horrified what a step backwards it was) knows that a LOT of what was wrong with OS/2 was NOT the OS, but the company behind it...IBM. In a way the mess with HP and WebOS reminded me of OS/2 because in both cases neither knew how to market the product and thought by sticking their brand in front of it that would magically sell it.
Even though I REALLY liked the OS (its multitasking was years ahead of everybody else at the time) when I saw the ads i was like "Oh shit, its toast" because their entire selling point was "A better Windows than Windows"...WTF? Are you kidding me? Windows CAME ON THE MACHINES and cost NOTHING and you want $200 for your OS and the big selling point is it runs Windows programs? Are you stupid? why should a user or developer support you when your big selling point is you're just an ersatz Windows? And not a great one at that because it only had 16 bit support and Windows was already touting Win32.
It was sad, that's what it was. they had this great thing, something that could have changed the game, and they pissed it all away because they didn't know how to sell it. But we see this all the time, You get these powerful companies that just "pull a Dilbert' and get a case of the stupids. Hell look at MSFT, they FINALLY have an OS to replace XP with, businesses are starting to adopt, so what are they gonna do? Burn their user base chasing fucking cell phones. Fucking retarded, just completely fucking retarded.
I would say, and i'm sure i'll get hate from the fans for saying so, but OS/2 had a better shot than Amiga at the title if they would have just pushed for "developers developers developers" along with plenty of in house programs that showed off the power. When Windows was still stuck with DOS underpinnings and would bitchslap you if you tried to run more than one program at a time OS/2 could multitask like crazy. I'd have a web page open WHILE having a chat session AND listening to music and not a single skip or glitch, it was truly amazing. And unlike Amiga it could run on the bog standard hardware. But first IBM tried to tie it to the hardware they were selling (which was overpriced and behind the curve to boot) and then when that didn't work they tried to sell it for more than the market would bear, just retarded.
BTW if anyone wants to fire up a VM and try it eComstation, which is just a rebranded OS/2, has a trial version i think. try it and remember that when it came out Windows was on 3.x and be blown away at how solid it was.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.