OS/2, eCS & ArcaOS - Technical > Applications
No word from Mensys/XEU - Alternatives?
Eugene Tucker:
I have just purchased a renewal and it processed properly. Foolish I know and a potential waste of money, but I wanted to see for myself. Details of status of the product should be communicated, but the way modern businesses conduct themselves today there is so much cloak and dagger.
Sigurd Fastenrath:
--- Quote from: Martin Iturbide on December 30, 2014, 06:01:37 pm ---So, between the alternatives we have:
Alternative - Create an OS/2 Warp 4.52 Distro.
--- End quote ---
At least on paper this is the one and only chance to keep OS/2 going on. Until Mensys proves that black is white I see no more development or even things going on at Mensys, other than may be trying to satisfy/solve problems for customer they have and already purchased eCS.
If I remember correctly there have been posts here around that at the beginning of Arca Noae there have been negotations with Mensys in wich way to cooperate. Then Arca Noae started (fortunately!) their business and it seems to me that these negotations had lead to nowhere. That might lead to the conclusion that ecomstation is dead.
In practice creating an own distro is doomed to failure, due to the license issues.
The only hope I have in this case is that Arca Noae may get an license agreement with IBM - if Arca Noae is interested to do so at all. And if I remeber correctly I have read more than once that they are not going to do such things.
Lewis Rosenthal:
Hi, guys...
Some quick points:
* OS/2 Warp (including Warp 4.52) is not abandonware. IBM still owns it, and IBM is happy to continue supplying and supporting it to their enterprise customers who pay them for service and support.
* We (Arca Noae) are still in discussions with XEU concerning possible synergies between us. It is our undrstanding that they are indeed desirous of releasing eCS 2.2 as GA.
* Arca Noae is currently focused on providing update and maintenance strategies for current licensees of OS/2 and eComStation, and not on producing our own distribution of the operating system. What is a new distribution but the previous distribution with fixes and enhancements, anyway?Our last exchange with XEU was last month, so this news is current as of the end of 2014. I would reiterate that Arca Noae's software and driver subscription complements XEU's software subscription, and current eCS licensees may indeed get value out of both subscriptions.
I'll have some news to announce if and when we finalize our discussion, but be assured those discussions are still ongoing.
Cheers
Fahrvenugen:
Hi,
I'd just point out, in addition to the fact that Lewis has already stated that Arca Noae isn't looking to do a full client - is that right now the only way to (easily) get V4.52 is via eCS or to have an IBM license already to which you paid IBM for (or to negotiate directly with IBM). It isn't something you're able to find copies of on the used market.
Unlike V4 (which was released in a box / shrink-wrap version), IBM only released V4.52 as a part of Software Choice (and I believe also for a while it was in the Developer and educational software collections), for those who had paid IBM for a SWC subscription. From what I recall (and someone feel free to correct me if I am incorrect) the SWC subscriptions were not transferable. I think (and again, I'm going from memory here - it was a long time ago) the version of 4.52 which is part of eCS - technically is a different IBM part number then the SWC version - even though the code is identical. The part number licensed to Serenity / Mensys came with a licensing setup allowing for eCS to be developed / distributed by Serenity / Mensys.
As a result, my understanding is that it is okay to sell a boxed V4 copy used (ebay or where ever), just as I believe it is okay to sell a used copy of eCS (I could be incorrect on this part). However I don't believe it is legal to sell a "used" copy of IBM OS/2 V4.52 due to the way SWC was set up / licensed.
jnw:
Fahrvenugen described very precisely the legal position of OS/2 and ECS today (including Warp 4.52, which may be legally obtained only as a part of ECS and the one from SWC is indeed not tranferrable). The conclusion is that only cooperation of Arca Noae and Mensys/XEU allows progress of OS/2 / ECS maintenance in reasonably manner. It is the only scenario in which existing OS/2 / ECS users can be supported while allowing new users to buy licenses.
Greetings - Jan Waliszewski
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