760 lines
28 KiB
Plaintext
760 lines
28 KiB
Plaintext
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The following is a consolidation of messages I
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wrote shortly after attending the IBM PS/2 Forum
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at the Washington, DC, Convention Center on
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April 18, 1991.
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------------------------------------------------
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These notes and those in following messages are from
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the IBM PS/2 Forum held at the Washington D.C.
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Convention Center on April 17 and 18.
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Before beginning to describe the sessions I attended,
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however, I wish to point out that despite the name of
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the seminar, the major subject was OS/2. And, to set
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the record straight once again, you do NOT need a
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PS/2 to run OS/2. Of course, IBM would LIKE you to
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buy a PS/2 and they GUARANTEE that OS/2 will run on
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PS/2s. After all, that is their primary business!
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OS/2, version 1.3, will also run on most compatible
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386 machines although earlier versions were more
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picky. And hardware manufacturers have rushed to
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correct incompatibilities identified in those
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earlier versions. IBM, of course, does not
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guarantee that OS/2 will run on other vendors'
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machines, however, they have done a lot recently
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to assure compatibility. Version 1.3, will also
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run on most AT 286 clones although the coming
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version 2.0 will require a 386 (this includes
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the 386 SX which runs OS/2 OK).
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Each of the following messages will discuss topics
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covered in one of the sessions I attended. You are
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encouraged to join in a discussion of the topics
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and issues presented.
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-----------------------------------------------------
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The opening session introduced the "IBM 1991
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PS/2 Forum 'Imagine the Possibilities'". This
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was a slick, multimedia event intended as an
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Executive Perspective. It was, of course, a
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skilled sales pitch intended to build attendees'
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confidence in IBM and IBM products. It did
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showcase IBM's PS/2 product line as well as
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their thrust into multimedia presentations
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and advanced systems software for 386 and above PCs.
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OS/2 obviously plays a central role in IBM's
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strategy for computing in the '90s. They did,
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of course, pay homage to DOS and Windows as a
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limited platform for users who do not need a
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full multitasking capability. They also introduced
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the joint venture that IBM is working on with
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Metaphor. The Constellation project should produce
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a full object-oriented computing environment that
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sometime in the future will run on multiple
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hardware platforms. But for today and the near
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to mid range future, IBM sees OS/2 as the
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strategic software platform for individuals as
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well as for organizations.
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Several themes seemed to predominate the opening
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session. These included:
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a. IBM's advances in audio/visual (called
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multimedia in current jargon) computing.
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This included advanced displays; fast
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computers; powerful video adapters such
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as their new XGA 1024 x 768 256,000 color
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adapters; and special video effects
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coprocessors (such as capture and motion
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boards).
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b. DOS is not powerful enough or reliable
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enough to serve as the platform for the
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new advances in products and applications.
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c. IBM is committed to interoperabilty of
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their hardware and their software through
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Systems Applications Architecture (SAA)
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products. (The pull-down menus, icons,
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and general screen layout you see in
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Windows or the OS/2 Presentation Manager
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are the Common User Access manifestation
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of SAA.
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d. OS/2, version 2.0 has now gone public and
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will reach the public later this year
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after the most extensive testing period in
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IBM software history. More than a thousand
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Beta testers and Early Experience Program
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participants will participate in this test.
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e. OS/2 version 1.3 is a strong, viable computing
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platform NOW. IBM has dramatically lowered
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the price of 1.3. It multitasks, has advanced
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Presentation Manager (PM) SAA interface and
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runs more than 400 PM and 2500 OS/2 character
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mode apps today!
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f. IBM says more than 600,000 copies have shipped
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to date and they expect the total to exceed
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1,000,000 by year's end.
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g. The price of both current versions of OS/2 have
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been lowered dramatically in response to user
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demand!
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h. OS2 Version 2.0 will be:
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- A better DOS Than DOS!
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- A better Windows Than Windows!
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- A better OS/2 Than [the present] OS/2!
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-----------------------------------------------------
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The first session I attended was titled:
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"OS/2 More Than Just an Operating System"
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[By the way, all of the slides presented
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were prepared using Lotus's Freelance
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Graphics for OS/2--an excellent package
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similar in concept to Microsoft's
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PowerPoint which is only available in
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the more limited DOS Windows environment].
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This presentation started with the familiar
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IBM slide depicting all of the components of
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the Systems Applications Architecture with
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special emphasis on the Common User Access
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standard which:
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o Provides a Consistent User Interface
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o Allows Easier Learning and Skills Transfer
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o Defines a set of guidelines for:
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- Entry model
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- Graphical model
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- Workplace environment
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o Will Evolve to Meet Future Needs.
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The presenter, D.L. (David) Barnes, is from the
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Personal Systems Briefing Center in Boca Raton,
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Florida.
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The components of OS/2 are:
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o Multiple Threads, Protected Mode Operations,
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and Preemptive Multitasking
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o High Performance File System
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o Adobe Type Manager [for better WYSWIG]
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o Desktop, File Manager and Usability Features
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He compared the generations of PCs as:
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o 8088/8086 machines which could address only
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one megabyte of memory of which DOS made 640KB
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available to the user.
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o 80286 machines which could address 16 MB of
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memory and which in OS/2 version 1 required
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programmers to swap 64kb program segments.
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o 80386 (and 80486) machines which can address
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up to 4 gigabytes (4 billion) of unsegmented
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memory (the flat memory model) and up to
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48 terrabytes of virtual memory. OS/2 version
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2.0 will be a 32 bit operating system which
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can manage multiple OS/2 as well as DOS
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programs.
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Well, the witching hour is too near, so I'll have
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to stop for tonight. More tomorrow if you are
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interested.
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-----------------------------------------------------
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Continuing from yesterday's session on
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"OS/2--More Than Just an Operating System"
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The chart on microcomputer characteristics showed
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the 32 bit i386/i486 families of processors using
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an operating system which supports Multiple
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Virtual DOS Machines (MVDM) each of which will have
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approximately 613 K of AVAILABLE memory after loading
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DOS, etc. Each MVDM will have its own CONFIG.SYS,
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its own AUTOEXEC.BAT and will support drivers and
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Lotus-Intel-Microsoft (LIM) expanded memory.
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OS/2 version 2 will support Multiple Concurrent
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Applications:
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o This requires the hardware assist of
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the 386/486 processors in order to support
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sophisticated memory management.
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o OS/2 uses the memory "Protect Mode"
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to give greater reliability to programs.
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i.e. To protect programs from each other.
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(If one crashes, it doesn't kill the
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others).
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o OS/2 supports "multiple threads" wherein
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the application is divided into separate
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processes which can run concurrently for
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better performance. i.e. When you start
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formatting a document for printing, the
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thread can start and (if you have a long
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document) control is given back to the
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user while the reformatting continues in
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the background.
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o Interprocess communications to pass messages
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control information and data between threads
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or programs.
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o Multiple levels of priority (preemptive
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scheduling) allows the highest priority
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thread to continue processing first. This
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generally gives priority to the foreground
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thread (i.e. to those things on which the
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user wants to focus).
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The High Performance File System is an important
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feature of OS/2. OS/2 supports HPFS as an
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"Installable File System", which means that when
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needed, new files systems can be installed to
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take advantage of new devices. HPFS:
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o Manages large hard disks/large files in a
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fast and consistent manner.
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- Up to 2 gigabyte partitions
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- Up to 16 partitions
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o Built-in caching of directories, data and
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file system structures
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o Supports Large File Names
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- Up to 254 characters
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- Extended attributes
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o Several times faster than FAT disks
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o Uses "balanced B-tree" methods for speed
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and limiting fragmentation
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Adobe Type Manager (ATM)
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o Built in font manager both for screen and
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print
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o Provides much more accurate WYSWIG screens
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(What You See Is What You Get)
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o Uses leading industry Postscript Type 1 fonts
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- on screen
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- to drive the defined system printer
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(EVEN IF IT IS NOT A POSTSCRIPT PRINTER)
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The OS/2 Presentation Manager includes a
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Desktop/File Manager and Direct Manipulation of Files
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o Uses icons to represent programs/groups
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o Provides a program/group hierarchy structure
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o Allows moving of items singly or in groups
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o Provides for direct manipulation of programs
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within groups
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This exists in improved form in the 1.3 version, but
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will be significantly improved in the 2.0 version.
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It allows true "click and drag" operations. (I never
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realized before though that I could click on a file,
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drag it to the printer icon and drop it into the
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printer--but it does work now)!
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OS/2 comes with a Dual Boot Facility. If for any
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reason you need to revert to plain DOS, you can
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reboot your system with a command or icon.
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The System Editor is a vast improvement over the
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DOS line editor. It is a full-screen SAA editor
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with pull-down menus, loadable fonts, etc. but
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still puts out ASCII files. (I'm using it now).
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o A windowed PM application
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o Uses keyboard and mouse input
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There is an extensive On-line HELP facility
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and complete on-line documentation
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o Search facility
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o Electronic bookmarks
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o Hyper text cross references
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OS/2 Directions (futures)
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Windows features:
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o Common User Access (of SAA)
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o 1 to 2 MB minimum
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o < 30 Mb disk
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OS/2 Entry Level (1.3) all of above plus
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o 2 Mb target
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o Common toolkit
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o Converging LAN products
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o Swappable DOS
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o Threads
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o Long File Names
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OS/2 90s Platform (2.0)
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o i386/i486
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o 4 Mb
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o 60 Mb disk
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o 32 bit OS/2
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o Multiple PM apps
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o Lan requester/server
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o HPFS
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o Demand paging
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o Multiple DOS apps
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o 32 bit memory model
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[and later]
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o RISC support
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o DOD security
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o Full object-oriented
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o Multi-processing
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KEY FEATURES OF OS/2 VERSION 2.0
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o Exploit capability of i386/486
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o Upward compatibility for today's PM apps
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o 32 bit flat memory model
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o Demand paging
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o 32 bit APIs
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o Multiple Virtual DOS Machines
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This concludes notes on the session titled:
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"OS/2--More Than Just an Operating System"
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-----------------------------------------------------
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This is the first message about yesterday's
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session on "IBM OS/2 & DOS+Windows 3.0"
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The general session outline was:
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o IBM OS/2 Directions
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o User Environments
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o Functional Comparisons
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o Positioning Considerations
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o Cost Comparisons
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o Summary
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o Demonstrations
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In a one-hour session there was no way to cover
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all of the desired details of this topic. The
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handouts would suggest design for a two-hour
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session.
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First, they outlined formal agreements between
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IBM and Microsoft. They said the strategic
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agreements still exist, however, Microsoft has
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diverted much of their OS/2 resources into
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other (Windows) projects. The presenter, a
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Mr. Bill Milam (I didn't get his card so don't
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know his position), made it quite clear that
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IBM was fully committed to OS/2 whether Microsoft
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lives up to its commitments or not. My note
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exclaims..."IBM playing hardball in public".
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Division of Responsibility
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--------------------------
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WHAT WHO
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DOS 4.x IBM Lead
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DOS 5.x Microsoft Lead
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Windows 3.x Microsoft Exclusive
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OS/2 1.x IBM Lead
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OS/2 2.x IBM Lead
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OS/2 3.x Microsoft Lead
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OS/2 Extended Edition IBM Exclusive
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IBM OS/2 Directions
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-------------------
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OS/2 a Better DOS Than DOS!
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OS/2 a Better Windows Than Windows!
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OS/2 a Better OS/2 Than OS/2!
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Systems/Network Management
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OS/2 as "The Integration Platform"
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USER ENVIRONMENTS
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=================
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o Standalone
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- Dedicated resources
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- Discrete applications
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* Spreadsheet
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* Graphics
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* Electronic mail
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* Word Processing
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* Database
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o Client/Server Computing
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- Shared Resources
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- Both standalone and server-based
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applications
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o Distributed System
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- Distributed Applications and Data
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- Distributed resources
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- Enterprise-wide (agency-wide)
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architected solutions
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|
|
- Transparent access (means the
|
|||
|
|
user need not know - or care -
|
|||
|
|
where the data or programs
|
|||
|
|
reside on the wide area net
|
|||
|
|
Use the best resources where and
|
|||
|
|
when needed.
|
|||
|
|
FUNCTIONAL COMPARISONS
|
|||
|
|
=======================
|
|||
|
|
of the following systems:
|
|||
|
|
o DOS + Windows 3.0
|
|||
|
|
o IBM OS/2 Standard Edition 1.3
|
|||
|
|
o IBM OS/2 Extended Edition 1.3
|
|||
|
|
o IBM OS/2 Standard Edition 2.0
|
|||
|
|
--------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This is the second message about yesterday's
|
|||
|
|
session on "IBM OS/2 & DOS+Windows 3.0"
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DOS + Windows 3.0
|
|||
|
|
Processor Memory Mode # Win # DOS
|
|||
|
|
(min) (min) Apps Apps
|
|||
|
|
o 8088/8086 640 kb Real few 1
|
|||
|
|
o 80286 1MB-16Mb Protected multi 1
|
|||
|
|
o i386/i486 2-16 Mb Protected multi multi
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DOS + Windows 3.0
|
|||
|
|
o Expands functionality of DOS
|
|||
|
|
o Icon-Based Program Manager
|
|||
|
|
o 16 Mb addressable memory
|
|||
|
|
o Limited multi-tasking
|
|||
|
|
o Limited application protection
|
|||
|
|
(limited reliability)
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple Virtual DOS Machines
|
|||
|
|
(386 Enhanced Mode only)
|
|||
|
|
[More on following message]
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This is the second message about yesterday's
|
|||
|
|
session on "IBM OS/2 & DOS+Windows 3.0"
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DOS + Windows 3.0
|
|||
|
|
Processor Memory Mode # Win # DOS
|
|||
|
|
(min) (min) Apps Apps
|
|||
|
|
o 8088/8086 640 kb Real few 1
|
|||
|
|
o 80286 1MB-16Mb Protected multi 1
|
|||
|
|
o i386/i486 2-16 Mb Protected multi multi
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DOS + Windows 3.0
|
|||
|
|
o Expands functionality of DOS
|
|||
|
|
o Icon-Based Program Manager
|
|||
|
|
o 16 Mb addressable memory
|
|||
|
|
o Limited multi-tasking
|
|||
|
|
o Limited application protection
|
|||
|
|
(limited reliability)
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple Virtual DOS Machines
|
|||
|
|
(386 Enhanced Mode only)
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
IBM OS/2 Standard Edition 1.3 [avail NOW]
|
|||
|
|
o 16 Mb Addressability
|
|||
|
|
o Full multi-tasking
|
|||
|
|
o DOS compatibility mode [one DOS box]
|
|||
|
|
o Dynamic Data Exchange
|
|||
|
|
o Advanced Graphical User Interface
|
|||
|
|
[Command mode interface still there
|
|||
|
|
too, just a click away]
|
|||
|
|
o High Performance File System
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple threads
|
|||
|
|
o Preemptive scheduling
|
|||
|
|
o Dual boot
|
|||
|
|
o Advanced graphics
|
|||
|
|
o Less memory [than earlier OS/2] (2 MB RAM)
|
|||
|
|
o Less disk space required
|
|||
|
|
o Improved performance
|
|||
|
|
o Advanced text support
|
|||
|
|
o Data and Network management
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
IBM OS/2 Extended Edition 1.3
|
|||
|
|
o All features of Standard Edition
|
|||
|
|
o Communications Manager for asynch and mainframe
|
|||
|
|
connections
|
|||
|
|
o Database Manager [Subset of mainframe DB/2
|
|||
|
|
Structured Query Language relational database].
|
|||
|
|
o LAN Requester
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
IBM OS/2 2.0
|
|||
|
|
o Everything in OS/2 1.3 PLUS + + +
|
|||
|
|
o Exploits i386/i486
|
|||
|
|
o DOS and OS/2 Applications upwardly compatible
|
|||
|
|
o 512 Mb physical memory addressable
|
|||
|
|
o Flat memory model
|
|||
|
|
o Workplace shell
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple Virtual DOS Machines
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
BETTER DOS THAN DOS
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple DOS Applications
|
|||
|
|
o DOS Applications continue to run in
|
|||
|
|
background
|
|||
|
|
o DOS apps run in OS/2 windows
|
|||
|
|
o Cut and paste between DOS and OS/2 apps
|
|||
|
|
o Unique DOS applications
|
|||
|
|
o Specialized Hardware Support
|
|||
|
|
o Able to boot other versions of DOS
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
BETTER DOS THAN DOS [Memory Requirements]
|
|||
|
|
DOS 5.0 Win 3.0 OS/2 2.0
|
|||
|
|
Conventional
|
|||
|
|
DOS Memory 620kb 570kb 620kb
|
|||
|
|
But then you must add
|
|||
|
|
Mouse Device Driver -14kb -14kb Incl
|
|||
|
|
LAN Adapter Device Driver -30kb -30kb Incl
|
|||
|
|
3270 Adapter Device Driver-20kb -20kb Incl
|
|||
|
|
----- ----- -----
|
|||
|
|
Available memory 556kb 506kb 620kb
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This is the third message about yesterday's
|
|||
|
|
session on "IBM OS/2 & DOS+Windows 3.0"
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Windows Better Than Windows
|
|||
|
|
o OS/2 2.0 Runs All Windows Applications
|
|||
|
|
o OS/2 2.0 Delivers Superior Performance
|
|||
|
|
o OS/2 2.0 Provides Superior System Integrity
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
OS/2 Better Than OS/2
|
|||
|
|
o OS/2 16 bit Compatibility
|
|||
|
|
o Greater than 2,000 OS/2 applications today
|
|||
|
|
o Greater than 400 PM applications announce
|
|||
|
|
and/or shipping
|
|||
|
|
o 2 billion $ invested by customers in
|
|||
|
|
applications development for OS/2
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
IBM OS/2: THE INTEGRATION PLATFORM
|
|||
|
|
o Base operating system services
|
|||
|
|
o Advanced user interfaces
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple communications services
|
|||
|
|
o Relational database services
|
|||
|
|
o client/server databases
|
|||
|
|
o multiple hardware platforms
|
|||
|
|
o multiple operating environments
|
|||
|
|
o distributed applications
|
|||
|
|
o distributed computing
|
|||
|
|
o systems/network management
|
|||
|
|
o Open Systems Architecture
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
POSITIONING CONSIDERATIONS
|
|||
|
|
--------------------------
|
|||
|
|
o User environment
|
|||
|
|
o Application requirements
|
|||
|
|
o data requirements
|
|||
|
|
o connectivity requirements
|
|||
|
|
o system integrity
|
|||
|
|
o security
|
|||
|
|
o systems applications architecture
|
|||
|
|
o hardware platform
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DOS Positioning Considerations
|
|||
|
|
o 20,000 + applications
|
|||
|
|
o Runs on entry level machines with < 2Mb memory
|
|||
|
|
o Will continue to be enhanced over time
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DOS+Windows Positioning Considerations
|
|||
|
|
o Graphical solution for entry level or
|
|||
|
|
immediate systems
|
|||
|
|
o Designed for systems with > 1 Mb memory
|
|||
|
|
o Good for personal productivity applications
|
|||
|
|
o Supports entry level communications
|
|||
|
|
o Will continue to be enhanced over time
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This is the fourth message about yesterday's
|
|||
|
|
session on "IBM OS/2 & DOS+Windows 3.0"
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
OS/2 1.3 (16 bit) Positioning Considerations
|
|||
|
|
o Graphical user interface
|
|||
|
|
o Full multi-tasking
|
|||
|
|
o Full multi-threading
|
|||
|
|
o Intermediate (286) and advanced systems
|
|||
|
|
o 16 bit OS/2 designed for systems with
|
|||
|
|
> 2 Mb of memory
|
|||
|
|
o Ideal for Mission-Critical, Line-of-Business
|
|||
|
|
Applications
|
|||
|
|
o Supports Multiple and Simultaneous
|
|||
|
|
Connectivity Protocols
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
OS/2 2.0 (32 bit) Positioning Considerations
|
|||
|
|
o All of the factors for OS/2 1.3 PLUS +++
|
|||
|
|
o 32 bit OS/2 designed for systems with
|
|||
|
|
> 3 Mb of memory
|
|||
|
|
o Enhances investment in DOS applications
|
|||
|
|
o Can update host systems databases
|
|||
|
|
o Good as client or server
|
|||
|
|
o Will continue to be enhanced over time
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
COST COMPARISONS
|
|||
|
|
=================
|
|||
|
|
Components DOS+Win3(Neh) OS/2 SE OS/2 EE
|
|||
|
|
[PS/2 55SX (2 Mb, 60 Mb Hard disk)]
|
|||
|
|
$3295 $3295 $3295
|
|||
|
|
Additional 1 MB 255
|
|||
|
|
Additional 2 MB 495
|
|||
|
|
DOS 4.0 165
|
|||
|
|
Windows 3.0 149
|
|||
|
|
OS/2 150 690
|
|||
|
|
----- ------
|
|||
|
|
TOTALS: $3864 $3445
|
|||
|
|
Connectivity
|
|||
|
|
Windows Connection 214 0
|
|||
|
|
Personal Comm/3270 544 0
|
|||
|
|
Asynchronous Comm 195 0
|
|||
|
|
PC Lan Pgm 1.3 66 0
|
|||
|
|
LAN Support Pgm 1.1 800 0
|
|||
|
|
----- ------
|
|||
|
|
TOTALS: $5962 $4480
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
MIGRATION CONSIDERATIONS
|
|||
|
|
o Train technical staff
|
|||
|
|
o Evaluate current application environment
|
|||
|
|
o Select and test hardware platform
|
|||
|
|
(new inventory)
|
|||
|
|
o Determine application availability
|
|||
|
|
o Certify new applications
|
|||
|
|
o Migrate in-house applications
|
|||
|
|
o Prepare deployment plan
|
|||
|
|
o Select pilot groups
|
|||
|
|
o Migrate power users first/train end users
|
|||
|
|
o share migration experiences
|
|||
|
|
o Adjust plan if necessary
|
|||
|
|
------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This is the fifth and last message about yesterday's
|
|||
|
|
session on "IBM OS/2 & DOS+Windows 3.0"
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SUMMARY: COMMON BENEFITS
|
|||
|
|
o Greater return on investment
|
|||
|
|
o Better utilization of resources
|
|||
|
|
o Increased user productivity
|
|||
|
|
o Increased application performance
|
|||
|
|
o Reduced systems complexity
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SUMMARY: KEY DIFFERENCES
|
|||
|
|
o Memory requirements
|
|||
|
|
o Memory addressing
|
|||
|
|
o Compatibility
|
|||
|
|
o Multi-tasking
|
|||
|
|
o Multi-threading
|
|||
|
|
o System integrity
|
|||
|
|
o IBM Support
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SUMMARY: Functionality
|
|||
|
|
Win OS/2 OS/2 32 bit
|
|||
|
|
Factor DOS 3.0 1.3 Directions
|
|||
|
|
------------------------ ----- ----- ----- ----------
|
|||
|
|
Integrated Comm/Database 640kb 16 Mb 16 Mb 4 Gb
|
|||
|
|
Base Operating System Y Y Y
|
|||
|
|
Single Task Y Y Y Y
|
|||
|
|
LAN Client Y Y Y Y
|
|||
|
|
Task Switching N Y Y Y
|
|||
|
|
Graphical User Interface N Y Y Y
|
|||
|
|
Inter-Task Communications N L F F
|
|||
|
|
Multi-Tasking N L F F
|
|||
|
|
Application Protection N N Y Y
|
|||
|
|
Integrated Comm/Database N N Y Y
|
|||
|
|
LAN Server N N Y Y
|
|||
|
|
Distributed Data Management N N L F
|
|||
|
|
Full 32 bit API N N N Y
|
|||
|
|
Portable OS/2 N N N Y
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Y=Yes, N=No, L=Limited, F=Full
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
SUMMARY: IBM OS/2
|
|||
|
|
o System Integrity
|
|||
|
|
o Multiple Threads
|
|||
|
|
o Preemptive multi-tasking
|
|||
|
|
o Protected Mode Exploitation
|
|||
|
|
o Enhanced Memory Management
|
|||
|
|
o High Performance File System
|
|||
|
|
o OS/2 2.0 MVDM - Better Than DOS
|
|||
|
|
o Investment Enhancement
|
|||
|
|
o Connectivity -- Lan/Host
|
|||
|
|
o Database services
|
|||
|
|
o Systems and Network Management
|
|||
|
|
o The Integration Platform
|
|||
|
|
o Systems Applications Architecture
|
|||
|
|
o IBM Commitment to OS/2
|
|||
|
|
---------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
At the IBM PS/2 Forum, I also attended a session
|
|||
|
|
on Client/Server Computing. This session explained
|
|||
|
|
IBM's strategic concepts for how organizations will
|
|||
|
|
integrate the various computing and data resources
|
|||
|
|
"enterprise-wide". This session was not
|
|||
|
|
specifically focused on OS/2 although it showed the
|
|||
|
|
importance of OS/2 to enterprise-wide computing.
|
|||
|
|
IBM describes Client/Server Computing as the
|
|||
|
|
situation where a client computer requests a
|
|||
|
|
service and the server provides the service. For
|
|||
|
|
example, in my job, we intend to provide a central
|
|||
|
|
database of electric power industry information on
|
|||
|
|
the Energy Information Administration mainframe
|
|||
|
|
computer. But we want to process the data at remote
|
|||
|
|
PCs. We have programs on the PCs to perform screen
|
|||
|
|
manipulation, editing of data, and handling of the
|
|||
|
|
two way communications between the system and the
|
|||
|
|
user. Client/Server computing allows us to combine
|
|||
|
|
the responsiveness and user-friendliness of the
|
|||
|
|
PC with the high speed data processing power,
|
|||
|
|
multiuser access and good security of the mainframe.
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The objective of client/server computing is to
|
|||
|
|
provide transparent access to any computing or
|
|||
|
|
data resources in the organization including:
|
|||
|
|
o Any-to-any communication
|
|||
|
|
o Multivendor support (imagine this from IBM!!)
|
|||
|
|
o Interoperability between systems
|
|||
|
|
IBM wants to provide end-to-end management of
|
|||
|
|
multivendor systems and comprehensive service and
|
|||
|
|
support.
|
|||
|
|
INFORMATION SYSTEM CHALLENGES
|
|||
|
|
o Information Viewed as a Corporate Asset
|
|||
|
|
o Extending the reach of computing resources
|
|||
|
|
o Expanding role of intelligent workstations
|
|||
|
|
o Emergence of workgroup LAN systems
|
|||
|
|
o Multivendor environment
|
|||
|
|
o Increasing role of standards
|
|||
|
|
I will not report the details of this session here
|
|||
|
|
as it is a topic above the level of a PC operating
|
|||
|
|
system. However, it is clear that IBM sees OS/2 as
|
|||
|
|
a strategic component of enterprise-wide systems.
|
|||
|
|
Indeed, IBM stated that OS/2 is now viewed within
|
|||
|
|
IBM as being as important as their mainframe
|
|||
|
|
computer operating systems such as MVS!! That is
|
|||
|
|
a dramatic statement for IBM, in my opinion and
|
|||
|
|
represents a fundamental shift in their corporate
|
|||
|
|
view of the world.
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
One interesting (to me) piece of information was the
|
|||
|
|
existence of IBM software to support the automatic
|
|||
|
|
update of software on PC workstations from a central
|
|||
|
|
site in client/server networks. That may solve a
|
|||
|
|
potential problem we had identified in C/S -- that
|
|||
|
|
of keeping the client software up to date and in
|
|||
|
|
synchronization.
|
|||
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
This last week, I attended the IBM OS/2 Forum
|
|||
|
|
at the Washington Convention Center. Probably
|
|||
|
|
the most impressive product I saw was the
|
|||
|
|
Describe Word Publisher from Describe, Inc.
|
|||
|
|
This is a word processor designed especially for
|
|||
|
|
OS/2. It uses the advanced features of OS/2
|
|||
|
|
to provide WP with unparalleled performance.
|
|||
|
|
It is really fast, has true WYSWIG using the
|
|||
|
|
built-in Adobe Type Manager Features of OS/2
|
|||
|
|
to manage fonts, and, most impressively, uses
|
|||
|
|
multiple threads for its processes. Using
|
|||
|
|
multiple threads, it is almost always able to
|
|||
|
|
return control to the user immediately after
|
|||
|
|
starting any process. The started process
|
|||
|
|
itself continues in the background, but in
|
|||
|
|
the meantime, the user can continue to perform
|
|||
|
|
other functions in the foreground.
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
To me, it appears to be the most dramatic
|
|||
|
|
improvement in the state of word processing
|
|||
|
|
since the introduction of Word for Windows
|
|||
|
|
moved us into the WYSWYIG arena. Compared to
|
|||
|
|
Describe, Word for OS/2 is a sloth -- as Word
|
|||
|
|
is just a slightly adapted Windows application
|
|||
|
|
rather than a native OS/2 application.
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
An example of the threads is that Describe
|
|||
|
|
has a very advanced spell checker/thesaurus
|
|||
|
|
capability. Specifically, it does not suffer
|
|||
|
|
the delays normal to spell checking (at least
|
|||
|
|
in Word). It almost instantly displays the
|
|||
|
|
first candidate for correction and continues
|
|||
|
|
to check the rest of the document in the
|
|||
|
|
background while you are considering the first
|
|||
|
|
suggestion. Furthermore, it displays the
|
|||
|
|
thesaurus entry right away and fetches the
|
|||
|
|
definition of the word as well by using
|
|||
|
|
another thread.
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
I intend to invite the Describe folks to demonstrate
|
|||
|
|
to the Windows and OS/2 SIG in the next couple of
|
|||
|
|
months. Would any of you be interested in attending
|
|||
|
|
this demonstration? We meet on the fourth Wednesday
|
|||
|
|
of the month at 7:30 PM in Rockville at the Monroe
|
|||
|
|
Street offices of CPCUG.
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Meanwhile, I've posted several messages summarizing
|
|||
|
|
some of the presentations at the forum. You are
|
|||
|
|
welcome to join us in the OS2 Conference. The
|
|||
|
|
assertions being made by IBM are that the
|
|||
|
|
new OS/2 2.0 will be:
|
|||
|
|
- A BETTER DOS THAN DOS
|
|||
|
|
- A BETTER WINDOWS THAN WINDOWS
|
|||
|
|
- A BETTER OS/2 THAN OS/2
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|