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From: sip1@quads.uchicago.edu (Timothy F. Sipples)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: Experience in Shopping for OS/2 (Long)
Message-ID: <1991Jun1.031815.28740@midway.uchicago.edu>
Date: 1 Jun 91 03:18:15 GMT
References: <1991May29.062117.9353@midway.uchicago.edu> <11750015@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com>
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In article <11750015@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com> joeb@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Joe Barnhart) writes:
>Uh....  I'm ready to hop on the "nobody is marketing OS/2" bandwagon,
>but as I recall, IBM was only _supposed_ to sell OS/2 for IBM machines.
>Microsoft's job was to popularize OS/2 among other hardware vendors.
>So before you hop all over IBM for not disclosing all of the non-IBM
>configurations supported by OS/2 -- remember that it was Microsoft's
>job to do that.

If it was not clear in the original post,

(a) the store was an authorized IBM dealer -- there was a long row of
    PS/2s of all flavors on one wall of the showroom, at least one running
    Windows.  Although a campus store, these people should know about OS/2;
    
(b) the OS/2 brochure did not even include a list of supported IBM equip-
    ment -- nothing about required hard disk space or video adapters,
    for example.  It did, however, mention that OS/2 will operate on the
    IBM PC/AT and XT/286 "on up."  The brochure did not rule out OS/2 on
    a one floppy IBM PC/AT with a monochrome text-only card.

Aside from these points, however, isn't it clear that Microsoft is not
pushing OS/2?  That perhaps IBM should step in -- and soon?

IBM does market software for non-IBM platforms, by the way.  Current and
the new Hollywood are two fine examples.  The Current manual states that
the software will run on Compaqs, Toshibas, Tandys, etc.

BTW, my thanks to Larry Solomon at IBM who took note of the post (which,
although anecdotal, seems to be fairly typical) and sent me a thoughtful
and serious reply.  Thanks for your help, Larry -- and thanks for keeping
an eye on things here.

T.F.S.						sip1@quads.uchicago.edu
Timothy F. Sipples		    Hoping to enter the OS/2 world ASAP.