IBM to bury OS/2

[Analog]

IBM will stop selling the OS/2 operating system at year's end, marking an end of an era for Big Blue.

IBM, which made the announcement this week, said it will discontinue OS/2 products by Dec. 23 and withdraw standard support for OS/2-related products as of Dec. 31, 2006.

Support for OS/2 will only be available under a service contract after 2006.

"We're making official what has been going on for quite some time," said Steve Eisenstadt, an IBM spokesman. "We haven't released a new version of OS/2 in nine years."

Big Blue is directing its OS/2 customers to switch to the Linux OS.

OS/2, which debuted in April 1987, struggled to gain the wide acceptance that Microsoft's Windows enjoyed. While OS/2 may have been considered technically superior to Microsoft's early versions of Windows, the operating system failed to prosper due to a lack of applications written for it.

Concerns about the future of OS/2 arose at least three years ago.

OS/2, which was the first Intel-based 32-bit multitasking operating system aimed at the PC market, currently has fewer than 80 customers that hold more than 10 licenses, Eisenstadt said. http://news.com.com/IBM+to+bury+OS2/2100-1016_3-5789924.html?tag=st.pop

 

[FrustratedUser]

80 customers. :Q

 

[gsaldivar]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
OS/2 currently has fewer than 80 customers that hold more than 10 licenses

IBM to bury OS/2

do ya think?

 

[aplefka]

This was Slashdotted last week.

 

[Leper Messiah]

wowzers. And they still make us support it for A+...

 

[ToastedMilk]

I haven't seen an OS/2 machine since I interned at IBM back in...93? Amazed anyone still uses it.

 

[mugs]

Well I was going to say I thought they discontinued it 10 years ago, but apparantly they did, they just didn't stop supporting it.

Makes you wonder who the 80 customers were... I can only assume they had some old apps with data they couldn't easily migrate, or didn't feel like migrating... ?

 

[vi edit]

And in related new, IBM lays off two employees that used to support it.

 

[TerryMathews]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
80 customers. :Q

Nono, you didn't read that correctly.

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
OS/2, which was the first Intel-based 32-bit multitasking operating system aimed at the PC market, currently has fewer than 80 customers that hold more than 10 licenses, Eisenstadt said.

Edit: basically saying they have fewer than 80 corporate clients.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Kinda sad. OS/2 shoulda been the one.

ZV

 

[EyeMWing]

OS/2 is still a banking standard in Saskatchewan.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Kinda sad. OS/2 shoulda been the one.

ZV

Ooof....that was a PITA to configure. Config.sys file was 2 miles long. And setting up a Netware driver? fuggedaboutit