OS/2 Warp Weekly Newsletter - 1995-10-06

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THE OS/2 WARP WEEKLY - A production of PSP Worldwide Marketing Support

Covering information relevant to OS/2 Warp and LAN Server

The 10/6/95 Issue (A real collector's item)

The OS/2 Warp Weekly and OS/2 Warp Monthly Newsletters are available on the Internet at http://www.austin.ibm.com/pspinfo/newsletters.html

INSIDE VIEW: ART OLBERT SHARES HIS INSIGHT

We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Art Olbert, Vice President of LAN Systems, on a variety of topics that affect OS/2 Warp and LAN Server products:


WW: What are some of the changes taking place in the industry?

AO: LANs today are predominantly workgroup sales. This year,

    three-quarters of our (server) sales have been for LAN Server
    Entry, our workgroup product.  OS/2 products are also strong in
    the area of Enterprise Sales.  Later this week, we're announcing 
    a Beta of Directory and Security Services (DSS), a feature that's
    very important to the enterprise market.
    One important trend in the market is the shift from simple file
    and print servers to application servers.  NetWare products are
    good file and print servers, but poor application servers.
    OS/2 is an excellent application server, and is in fact the leader
    in this market.
    Another shift that's occurring is away from writing procedural
    applications to object-oriented applications.  This is important
    because Novell's Netware doesn't support distributed objects;
    OS/2 will.  We have already demoed DSOM (Distributed Systems 
    Objects Model) on OS/2 platforms.
    Finally, we are moving away from piece packages toward integrated
    packages.  Today, a complete server system is usually assembled
    using "pieces" from different sources. For example, you could use
    an operating system from one vendor, file and print management from
    someone else, and systems management services from other sources.
    By offering an integrated package of basic server functions, we
    give our customers the option to choose a single product from
    a single vendor.  OS/2 Warp Server (currently in Beta testing)
    is our integrated offering.
    All these changes bode well for OS/2 products because we are
    well positioned to take advantage of them.


WW. Why are we moving toward integrated servers?

AO: To meet the needs of our customers and independent channels.

    Resellers and VARS benefit from being able to sell a complete,
    integrated solution to a broad set of users.  Integrated servers
    are easy to install, use and administer, which benefits resellers,
    consultants, administrators and end-users.


WW: What are some of the new products and features that we can look

    forward to seeing in the next few months?

AO: You can expect to see:

    - OS/2 Warp Server.
    - Directory and Security Services (DSS), which will provide LAN
      Servers and OS/2 Warp Servers with enterprise-wide directory
      services.  DSS integrates distributed computing with file and
      print server computing.
    - DCE 1.1.  The AIX version is already shipping, and the OS/2
      version is in Beta.


WW. What are the differences between LAN Server and OS/2 Warp Server?

AO: LAN Server is a powerful network operating system with

    high-performance file and print server capabilities and support
    for a broad range of clients.
    OS/2 Warp Server is an integrated server package with these
    functions:
    - File, print and application server
    - Systems management
    - Backup and recovery
    - Remote connectivity
    - Advanced printing


WW: What do you feel are the Austin Lab's greatest achievements?

AO: Primarily, we've recognized the broad array of customers for LAN

    products.  We've gone beyond IBM's traditional customer base to
    reach small enterprises and lines of business.  From that
    experience, we came to understand the importance of channels.
    From a product perspective, it's our products' ease of use.  LAN
    Server 4.0 has won numerous industry awards, and is as good as or
    better than everyone else in terms of performance.  We're also
    excellent at incorporating sophisticated technologies in our
    products.  We were the first with DCE (Distributed Computing
    Environment), and the first to integrate DCE with LAN Server using
    DSS.

WHY I CHOSE OS/2 (EIGHTH IN A SERIES)

Why are people choosing OS/2 Warp instead of Windows? These answers, which come from a wide range of computer users, cut through the hype.

Because of IBM Support

Tom Nadeau
Owner
Intelligent Microcomputer Associates

"IBM bends over backwards to help you. For one thing, OS/2 Technical Support is staffed by IBM employees who are OS/2 specialists, not third- party vendors who read scripts back to you. When we couldn't get our old Trident video card to work right, I called IBM. They called me back three times, until they reached me, to let me know what the problem was and how to fix it. That's what I call 'world-class' service."

BOTTOM LINE: OS/2 Warp is supported and managed by IBM.

OS/2 WARP SERVER BETA PASSES MILESTONE

Between August 28 and September 15, IBM distributed 12,000 copies of the beta version of OS/2 Warp Server to testers worldwide, making it the largest beta program for any IBM Personal Software Products server product. The beta is receiving outstanding initial response from testers, including customers, analysts, VARs, system integrators and consultants.

"I was using NT 3.5 on my server but was not impressed. It dumps people off the network and its interface is not truly object-oriented. Neither is Windows 95. It's clumsy and unstable," said Christopher McCarthy, software development manager at Gemmac, Inc. "When I heard that OS/2 Warp Server was coming out, I decided to try it. Its interface is more intuitive and so far everything is running just the way I had hoped. I don't plan on switching back to NT."

Now in beta cycle, OS/2 Warp Server should be generally available in the first quarter of 1996.

OS/2 WARP ENTERTAINMENT TOOLKIT BETA NOW AVAILABLE

The beta version of the OS/2 Warp Entertainment Toolkit is now available on "The Developer Connection for OS/2, Volume 8" (DevCon8). The beta has been distributed to the more than 17,000 members of the Developers Assistance Program (DAP).

The Toolkit offers new video, audio, joystick and networking enhancements from IBM that can help developers create exciting PC entertainment titles for IBM's OS/2 Warp and build on the existing resources in DevCon. DAP members receive tools, software technology and information quarterly on the DevCon CD-ROM for use in OS/2 Warp development efforts.

"Developers want direct access to devices and cross-platform capabilities," said Lloyd Webber, IBM Personal Software Products worldwide games brand manager. "The OS/2 Warp Entertainment Toolkit gives them those resources for developing sophisticated interactive PC entertainment for the OS/2 market."

For more information on the Toolkit, visit http://www.austin.ibm.com/os2games/devnews/devtlkt.html

MORE ON ATTACHPAK FOR OS/2 WARP CONNECT

Did you know that AttachPak for OS/2 Warp Connect includes an upgrade from Lotus Notes Express (which is bundled with OS/2 Warp Connect) to Lotus Notes Desktop?

Notes Desktop is a Notes run-time client that allows users to use corporate-wide Notes applications. It includes 25 application templates for customer tracking, document library, workflow and other functions.

For more information on AttachPak for OS/2 Warp Connect, call your local IBM representative or 1-800-426-2555 in the United States. A press release on AttachPak is also available at http://www.austin.ibm.com/pspinfo/nwsattch.html

IBM UNVEILS OS/2 DIRECTORY & SECURITY SERVICES BETA PROGRAM

IBM will begin beta testing its Directory & Security Services (DSS) for OS/2 LAN Server 4.0 this month. The shipping version of DSS will allow more users to easily and securely access distributed network resources on an OS/2 Warp Server network. DSS will integrate LAN Server 4.0 file and print sharing capabilities with open, scalable networking features based on industry-standard technology from Open Software Foundation (OSF) Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) Version 1.1.

The Directory & Security Services beta is available to customers with the combination of OS/2 LAN Server 4.0 Entry and OS/2 Warp at no charge. DSS will be available for OS/2 Warp Server after the final product ships in early 1996. Applications for the beta package are currently being accepted via e-mail at majordomo@austin.ibm.com. Your request should include the following two lines:

    get ls-dirsec order.frm 
    end

For more information on the DSS beta program, visit http://www.austin.ibm.com/pspinfo/nwsbeta3.html

STARDIVISION ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE FOR STAROFFICE FOR OS/2

StarDivision announced that the German version of StarOffice will start shipping October 16 and the English one ships in December. StarOffice will contain StarWriter, StarCalc, StarDraw plus smaller utilities like StarImage, StarManager, StarMath and StarChart. This office suite will come in OS/2 and Windows editions, to be followed by PowerMac and UNIX editions. For a limited time, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, StarOffice will also include StarMedia. StarMedia is a CD-ROM with 1000 fonts, 5555 images, 10000 clip arts, 555 sounds, 85 songs and 50 animations/video clips.

BATCH MANAGER VERSION 3.0 RELEASED

M. Bryce and Associates have released Version 3.0 of Batch Manager, a native OS/2 32-bit application for scheduling, executing, monitoring, and controlling jobs (OS/2 or DOS Command Files and Executable Programs)

Version 3.0 implements these features:

  • New multiple queue approach allowing both serial and concurrent
  execution of jobs.
  • New controls to hold and release job queues.
  • Full "drag and drop" support for job submission.
  • New on-line display of job log showing date/time of job execution,
  along with completion codes
  • New job priority setting for program processing:
  1.  Time-Critical - Highest
  2.  Regular
  3.  Idle-Time - Lowest

Batch Manager requires OS/2 2.1 or higher.

For additional information visit http://warp.eecs.berkeley.edu/os2/connect/batchmgr.html or call M. Bryce & Associates at 813-786-4567

OS/2 ISVs UNITE

According to Brad Wardell of Stardock Systems, the OS/2 ISVs have begun to work together to pool marketing dollars to do full page ads in the major PC publications. Expect to see ads in magazines such as InfoWorld, PC World, PC Magazine, Computer Shopper, and PC Week. The pilot ads will include Indelible Blue, Stardock, and CDS. More ISVs and resellers will participate in the upcoming months.

WARP'D HUMOR

                      Some weeks nothing seems funny.

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