WarpX - The future with OS/2 Warp

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Article Info
Author John Martin Alfredsson
Date 1999-04-08
OS Version OS/2 Warp
Companion File N/A
Source Archived

An unofficial page with rumors of the future for OS/2. Most things discussed are rumors and may never surface.

April 8, 1999

Long time since last update. (Apr. 8)
I have undergone surgery, so other things than OS/2 has been on my mind lately. But please keep sending me comments and rumors. Your input is what keeps me updating this site.
Titan. (Apr. 8)
Rumor is that there will be a "fat" OS/2 client with the code name "Titan".
On the other hand
-(. (Apr. 8)
"I met with the General Manager of the OS/2 / Java Division and a senior technical advisor to the GM only last week. At this time there is no discussion on a new revision of Warp ( Warp 5) that would include additional functionality and features. The highly debated topic of the aurora client is a discussion point only and does not represent any business plan at the development level."
More rumors (Apr. 8)
"Will that be an Aurora-based client? And when do you expect it?"
"Yes and no idea when."
No importance (Apr. 8)
From Warpcast:
"The European Lotus management seems to be convinced. Pierre van Beneden, general manager of Lotus Development EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), confirmed that the discussion on the R5-client wasn't finished yet. He said that the opinion was different in the USA, however, because OS/2 had no importance there anymore."

January 27, 1999

The OS/2 source code has moved ! (Jan. 27)
I'm told that (IBM internal) NFS access to the OS/2 source code is terminated since there code is being moved to a secure server.
This is due to that an "outside vendor" is gaining access to the code...
DVD in 1999 (Jan. 27)
In 1999 IBM has decided to release two items on the road to a complete DVD support. The following things are funded are development have started. A device driver to read and write(!) to a DVD drive. And a UDF (Universal Data File System) FS driver.
But, not funded in 1999 was/is support for streaming data with video/audio playback nor any multimedia support in the OS. Let's hope some third-party force jumps in and helps us out.
NO OS/2 - NO IBM (Dec. 12)
Apparently, some big IBM customers (internal rumors says a certain large bank -Deutsche Bank or Bank of South Africa) have stated that if they do move to Windows NT, they aren't going to use IBM.
That is, a move from IBM+DB2+MQSeries+IBM PC+IBM Consulting and Services to Microsoft Windows NT+SQL Server+ Backoffice+Compaq PC and someone else's consulting and services. This apparently have made IBM release the following internal memo: Preparing IBM's OS/2 Customers for e-business.

December 12, 1998

Aurora FAQ gone (Dec. 12)

I have removed the Aurora FAQ form my site. There are two reasons. The first is that I don't have the time to update it and the second is that Aurora is in beta. You can learn much more about Aurora by using it (if you have the beta) or reading mailinglists/newsgroups. However, you will still find Aurora news and rumors on this page.

Corporate client (Dec. 12)
"When IBM says that their corporate customers don't want a fat client, they are lying. SOME of IBM's customers don't want a fat client, but many do. I work for one of IBM's 'enterprise customers' and we want a fat client. IBM just doesn't want to make a Warp 5 fat client."

October 23, 1998

Warp 5 client (Oct. 23)
The following comments are not mine. They have been sent to me by people wishing to be anonymous:
"At this point there may or may not be a Warp 5 client. It has not been finally decided yet. But things are looking good..."
"If IBM do deliver a fat client the GUI will have Netscape 4.x partly integrated. Not as much as Windows98 but more than it currently is."
"There have been two obstacles for a new fat client. The first obstacle has been Jeff Smith. He was the manager of OS/2 and basically he wanted to kill the fat client since he didn't see it as profitable.
However, a few days ago Jeff Smith was given what was called a "promotion" but in reality, it was a demotion. This is good for the fat client since he was one of the obstacles.
The second obstacle to a new fat client was that IBM had many development projects in scheduled for 1998. As big as they are, IBM only has a limited development budget for all their projects. However, Warp will have much less :competition for development money in 1999. In fact, it is quite likely that there will be development dollars for a fat client in."
"I think the activity the OS/2 community has put forward has helped the case for a new fat client. IBM typically states publicly that they don't give a shit about end users, but I think the pre-order campaign for Warp 5 fat client has helped. Remember, IBM only understands money."
"I think that if we keep the pressure going, we will have a new fat client. So it is very important right now to keep up the work and the heat."
Note. I don't automatic share the views of Jeff Smith and I welcome him to counter this.
IB survey vs. 21warp (Oct. 23)

We are after the same goal ! We want IBM to release a new Warp client. Indelible Blue tries to influence IBM from inside while 21warp works from the outside. Please support both campaigns and understand that while the means might be different the goal is the same.

Ever shrinking Aurora target (Oct. 23)
IBM tries to market their new baby but at the same time they limit its target audience, just read this:
"Consolidate and migrate to other IBM server platforms as scalability requirements dictate. OS/2 Warp server is positioned as a Tier 2 server."
Don't think for a moment that Aurora could not be more scalable.
IBM is deliberately downplaying scalability for Aurora since they rather sell AIX or AS/400 solutions.
LVM over the network ? (Oct. 23)
"The newly enhanced server also sports Logical Volume Management, which allows network administrators to balance file requirements across a network without having to take the server down."
"The new Logical Volume Manager, borrowed from IBM's AIX operating system, is designed to work hand-in-hand with the Journaled File System, making it easier for administrators to look across a network of different hard drives and view them as a single drive."
I'm not sure what this means, but to me it looks like LVM could "bind" together disks on separate machines.
WSOD 2.0 (Oct. 23)
Will NOT contain Win32 client support. This is planned for the next release planned to be released in conjunction with Aurora. WSOD 2.0 will add RIPL via TCP/IP and better ways for administrators to configure the clients. But as IBM says, get WSOD 2.0 now and you will get a free update to the next version in 1999.
WSOD 3.0 (Oct. 23)
WILL contain Win32 client support. You will be able to manage Win32 client images (Windows 9x/NT) in much the same way you manage DOS/Windows 3.1 and OS/2 clients now. There is also this statement:
"The 32-bit Windows OS (operating system) and applications will be run on top of the OS/2 kernel on the OS/2 Warp Server, according to the IBM exec."
This might be an misunderstanding but I'm also told that Citrix and IBM are planning enhanced support for OS/2.
Aurora Named. (Oct. 23)
OS/2 Warp Server for e-business is the official name of Aurora, the next version of Warp Server. Read more in my Aurora FAQ.
VisualAge REXX. (Oct. 23)
Is supposedly under development. Its is to be a cross between Visual BASIC and VisualAge C++ but using Object REXX as development language.
WebSphere Application Server 1.1. (Oct. 23)
Is the name of the web server part of Aurora. It now includes the popular Apache 1.3.1 Web Server. That is: no Lotus GO and no Domino...
WebSphere (1.0) is already available for several other IBM platforms.

Opinion

On this page you will have to read my opinion :-).

I will present my thought on this industry with a definite bias towards OS/2 and IBM. But do expect to find thoughts about Linux, Microsoft and others. I might also mention products that I have a word or two to say about.

And sometimes you will also find the opinion of someone else. Someone with an interest in the stuff we use to trash computers.

Warp2000 - OS/2 best chance in years

I don't think any of you have missed Stardock proposal to make a new Warp client (for the SOHO and home users). Stardock has offered IBM to create the new client and as I understand it IBM will be able to reuse the code for their products (WSEB, WSOD). Stardock has registered a new domain name (warp2000.com) so it's not impossible the possible new client will be called just that.

Discussions are still going on between IBM and Stardock but in my opinion this is the best chance OS/2 has had for several years, probably the best chance since the Warp 3 marketing blitz.

Don't think this means a multimillion dollars advertising campaign. The first release will be done with spare change from Stardocks pockets and will require a lot of support from the OS/2 community. If (and I say if) IBM takes Stardocks proposal and if the first release becomes profitable, then we will be able to sit back and watch the Warp2000 ad. But it's a long way there and it's full of dangers.

Now, why do I recommend that "stinking windows-loving Brad Wardell company". Yes, there are people out there that rather turn Linux than support Stardock but I don't care if Brad Wardell is god himself or the devil reincarnated, all I care about is to find a future for OS/2.

Stardock is currently the best chance and I think we should take that chance. Stardock is a small company and extremely dependent of help from the OS/2 community. And if (that big if) Warp2000 becomes a hit Stardock will be hard pressed from IBM to "do the right thing".

I'd rather take a "Stardock OS/2" than no OS/2.

Now if IBM says "go" what can we expect from the first release ?

To begin with, don't expect anything. Stardock has a limited purse and most importantly, IBM will watch over them like hawks. Every feature in the OS will have submitted to, tested by and approved by IBM. A strait WSEB client would be a good approximation.

If (that big if again) Warp2000 becomes a hit Stardock will have much a bigger chance to build new things into the client.

Whatever happens, I think there are a few points that would increase the chance for the client to be successful:

A better installation program
  • To begin with a Windows program that checks you partitions and checks if your CD is bootable. This program should allow you to select the partition you want to install on and it should tell you what FSD (file system drivers) you need to access your partitions. Also it should tell you to either insert the boot CD or the boot floppy (and then reboot). And, NO, the program should not check for every possible hardware. A long list of non-supported hardware will just discourage people from continuing the installation.
Fix the idiosyncrasies in the GUI.
  • Rearrange the standard folders and icons. Fix the most flagrant problems (Kris, this is your job). And most importantly, introduce a Warp2000 look and feel. Standardize file open/close, printer setup, toolbars, status bars and so on. And I'd recommend Stardock to "steal" these from project Odin (Win32OS2). Yes the Odin APIs are Windows style and you may not like the Windows look but if we want new OS/2 applications where do you think they will be ported from?
New API's
  • Start updating the aging OS/2 API. Add things the easy way and create new standard API's. If we want enhanced multimedia and games we must have standardized multimedia and games API's. DIVE might have been a good thing back in 95 but Warp2000 needs modern stuff. Create a group like the Odin project that decides and implements new API's, to ensure that all Warp2000 releases ships with a complete (free) development environment for all standard APIs.
Keep it small
  • Add drivers and enhance system utilities but don't add applications to the OS. It might be tempting to add things like Staroffice but let's keep the application samplers disk method. Just listen to the VoiceType debate right now. If IBM had not included Voicetype in the OS but left it on the application sampler CD there would newer have been any discussion. I rather like the RedHat method, one OS CD, one system tools and one application CD. Install a minimal OS and allow the user to add stuff like development tools and additional drivers via a system tools disk. Then if the user wants to, she or he can try out other software using the net or the application samplers disk.
Drivers, drivers
  • The most important thing to keep the OS current is drivers. Gather example drivers for all sorts of hardware and software. Publish online courses and documentation. Do everything possible to simplify driver development (GRADD is a good example) and create tools to simplify porting drivers from other operating systems.
Build a new OS
  • It's all about perception. Who in his right mind would think that a freeware Unix clone would be the hottest OS at the end of the millennium. Unix has been counted out as many times as OS/2 but still the development going on in the Linux arena is staggering.
  • Ensure that the press understands that Warp2000 is NOT OS/2 and NOT OS/2 Warp. It's a new product that borrows the good stuff that OS/2 has allows you to run old OS/2 applications just like you can run old Windows and DOS applications. Tell the press that Warp2000 is built to run native Warp2000 applications, not native OS/2 applications. Tell the press that Warp2000 will run Windows2000 applications but don't care to explain how Odin works. Yeah, even Linux runs Windows application. It's all about perception.

In the long run the architectural problems in OS/2 must also be fixed, 16-bit drivers, nonbootable JFS, max 512MB memory space, SIQ and so on, but we will only be able to overcome these if we have a product that sells and makes the OS/2 market profitable again.

Now we don't have that many options, so let's give our support to the Stardock solution !

IBM and Linux

It's funny (or rather sad) to see IBM release things like ViaVoice for Linux when they have an OS that is better than Linux, in-house. It seems like every product the marketing people of IBM gets its hands on gets turned into some mega-enterprise product not useful for companies with less than 50.000 employees. OS/2 went that way, IBM is driving java that way and what will happen to Linux...

Project Odin

Is the new name for the Win32OS/2 project. As a native Scandinavian, I must first state that the name Odin is an Anglo-Saxon twist of the Nordic god's real name Oden. Also, the god is blind (he gave away his eyes to gain knowledge) and has a pair of ravens (Hugin and Munin) as sidekicks. In addition, he gets kill at Ragnarök (the big battle at the end of time). Let's hope this is not a vision of the project, a blind product that gets killed off in the Ragnarök of operating system wars. (As a Scandinavian, I'd wish they spelled Oden:s name correct.) Apart from this the project has raised a few interesting points. There is a big German company that will participate in the project. Hopefully, this German company will request a few kernel changes in OS/2 that will allow more Win32 applications to run under OS/2 (ultimately Office 97/2000). But I still feel this big company does things the wrong way. It would be much easier to port Office to OS/2 than "port OS/2 to Office". Why not (publicly) offer Bill Gates and his "goons" money for the rights to create an OS/2 version of Office. If only to hear Gates try to explain why he does not want an OS/2 version.