Microsoft Announces Version 1.20 of MS OS/2 with Presentation Manager
Redmond, WA - May 16, 1989 - Microsoft Corporation today announced Microsoft® Operating System/2 Version 1.20, which features a new higher-performance file system and other user enhancements including an improved Presentation Manager shell.
"The additional features and functionality in MS OS/2 Version 1.20 really reflect what end users and software developers have been telling us they want in OS/2," said Steve Ballmer, senior vice president for systems software at Microsoft. "This is an important year for OS/2. With the shipment of significant OS/2 applications and this upgrade to the product, we are laying the groundwork for great developments in 1990."
MS OS/2 Version 1.20 incorporates a new file system that uses advanced technology to improve operating system response and overall system performance. This new technology will be the basis for advanced file system features available in later releases of OS/2. This technology is expected to have greatest benefit to database and server applications that are disk intensive, needing to read and write large amounts of data.
The new file system is primarily intended for use on hard disks. OS/2 1.20 will be able to support the older MS-DOS file system as well as the new file system, thereby ensuring compatibility with existing OS/2 and MS-DOS systems.
- Application Compatibility Assured
OS/2 1.20 will be upwardly compatible with Version 1.10. In particular, vendors will be able to create a single version of an application that will run on either version but still take full advantage of the features specific to Version 1.20.
Borland International (Scotts Valley, Calif.), developers of SideKick for Presentation Manager, the first application for OS/2 Presentation Manager, announced that it welcomes the upcoming release of Version 1.20. "Because compatibility is assured, we will continue our aggressive development of OS/2 products using Version 1.10 until the new version becomes available," said Brad Silverberg, vice president of research and development at Borland. "Future releases of Borland OS/2 products will support Version 1.20-specific features."
- Shell, DOS Compatibility Box Enhanced
Version 1.20 contains enhancements to the Presentation Manager shell, including direct manipulation facilities (such as copying files by being able to "drag" with the mouse) and additional use of icons to represent information. Other improvements include a new system editor using the Presentation Manager interface, similar to the Notepad text editor in Microsoft Windows; dual boot capability to DOS or OS/2; and, for the first time, a PostScript® device driver.
The DOS compatibility box, which allows standard MS-DOS applications to be run, has a larger address space in 1.20, and DOS applications can be started directly from the shell, simplifying its use.
- Product Available in September
IBM plans to ship OS/2 1.20 in September, 1989. Microsoft will also make Version 1.20 available to OS/2 OEMs in September. Pricing and shipment dates will be announced by the individual OEMs.
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