Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!hellgate.utah.edu!csn!boulder!spot.Colorado.EDU!bradleyt
From: bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU (Todd Bradley)
Subject: Request for information from OS/2 neophyte
Message-ID: <1991Apr22.211632.4960@colorado.edu>
Originator: bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU
Sender: news@colorado.edu (The Daily Planet)
Nntp-Posting-Host: spot.colorado.edu
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Mon, 22 Apr 1991 21:16:32 GMT
Lines: 53


Hi folks.  I don't have OS/2 and, in fact, I've never even
seen OS/2 or known anyone who has had it.  Despite this,
I've heard lots of talk lately about this apparently
powerful operating system.  I've been trying for the past
week, after reading in the Wall Street Journal that IBM
just cut the price drastically, to get some information
about how to get OS/2 and what exactly it is.  Everywhere
I turn I hear somebody talking about it but I can't find
any hard facts.  It seems to be completely ignored by the
pc software market.  The university bookstore here doesn't
carry it and doesn't know how to order it (although they
can tell me the student discount rate is $350).  My two
favorite software stores (including the largest in the
state) don't carry OS/2 or any OS/2 applications.  And the
fact that there is a newsgroup devoted to it makes think
this operating system must exist, but I can't find any
evidence other than hearsay.

Please forgive my rambling, but I've got some questions I
can't get answered anywhere else and I thought this might
be an appropriate place to ask.  If someone would take
pity on me and send me some answers via email, I'd be
very grateful.


1.  I'm fairly convinced from what I've read that OS/2 is
	a Good Thing.  Where can I buy this software?
2.  Is the rest of the world (software vendors, in particular)
	as ignorant as my local software stores about OS/2?
3.  Is it supported for non-IBM hardware?  If not (I've heard
	it isn't), does it run on non-IBM hardware?  In particular,
	I've got a fairly generic Klever 386 motherboard and
	Phoenix BIOS.
4.  Is it true that IBM has lowered the price to $150 for
	the standard 1.3 release?  The Wall Street Journal says
	yes, the software store says no.
5.  Is it really likely that if I bought it now that it will
	still be supported a year from now?


If you can give a reasonable answer to any or all of these
questions, direct me to a FAQ list, or point me towards some
appropriate literature, please reply.  Thanks in advance.

Using DOS/Windows only for lack of a better solution,
Todd

-- 

bradleyt@spot.Colorado.EDU         
bradleyt@rastro.Colorado.EDU
BRADLEY_T@CUBLDR.COLORADO.EDU