I have heard two things in the last week that smack MS for doing the Windows dependant Java.
1) Lou Gerstner in a Keynote address, while not 'saying' it, slapped Microsoft in the face for doing it. The statement went something like, "Everyone is developing for platform independance, with one possible exception."
2) Sun is coming out with a "100% pure Java" logo. IBM, Oracle, and NS are backing this logo. I guess that 'Must not be platform dependant or optimized' could be one of the requirements for the logo.
I Just saw with interest your article on YAOS v1.6.
My position is just the opposite of yours:
I find the OS/2 text windows and CMD.EXE to be terrific, and I keep the Workplace Shell covered with a full screen version of a view of the Earth from space from Cowlishaw's program PMGLOBE.
I usually have a dozen or so OS/2 text windows standard for my work open all the time, and open and close others frequently depending on what I am doing.
GUIs are crucial for working with graphics and otherwise I do NOT like direct manipulation, icons, mouse-click, visual everything, the Xerox PARC-Apple-Windows GUI theme of user interface, or the WorkPlace Shell, and the only use of drag and drop is to reach forward with palm up, grasp the monitor, drag quickly past the front of the work surface, and drop.
You said
Wouldn't it be easier if you could complete that filename without bothering with quotes and without having to type the whole thing?On long file names, I do use HPFS partitions heavily and have for years, but I mostly stay with the old DOS conventions on file names for a variety of reasons. In particular, I do not ask that a file name be mnemonic or even very descriptive and have several other much better means for knowing and finding what is in files.
But on names, my fully qualified path names tend to be quite long, often over 60 characters long. Yet, I nearly never type a long name or any name.
And, I navigate down directory trees and hop from node to node with blazing speed with very little typing.
The real keys to my making the text windows productive is a collection of Rexx CMD programs and the text window editor KEdit with a collection of KEdit macros in Rexx.
My biggest reason for preferring command lines to GUIs is that a command line interface is so easy to automate with Rexx. So, I get an easy way to layers of automation.
Closely related is the fact that I try to keep data in flat ASCII files; in this way I have one format for data that can easily be handled by lots of common tools. E.g., the output of GREP can be the input to KEdit and its macros and then CMD.EXE command lines, etc.
Other reasons for the text windows: Text windows are much faster than GUI windows; I prefer the selection of monospaced fonts available with text windows and have settled on a selection that works well for me, one font I get used to for nearly everything.
I just read your "from the editor" article and I thought that I would comment on a couple of things. I used to be a subscriber of OS/2 Magazine and it used to be a great mag. I dropped it when they raised the price to $39 a year and cut the content that was useful to me, I'm a technician not a programmer and I could care less about the prgramming part of it.
Also about netscape. I love the second beta, they incorporated the drag n drop that WebEx has and the Java works great and it *NEVER* crashes. Netscape on Windoze 3.1X or 95 (any version of Netscape though) ALWAYS GP faults or reboots the computer and I was dissapointed when the first beta for OS/2 crashed all the time. As far as how Netscape looks, I think it looks just fine, and I don't get those screen redraws when I scroll the screen as you say yours does. Although I do run in at least 64K colors all the time now.
Just tried the Corel Beta of Office for Java. One can tell that there is much to be done withit to get it to work well. However, the Beta Page does mention OS/2 along with those other operating systems. And there is a FAQ for the BETA that includes OS/2.
I understand Mr. Delahoz's frustration! However, the point of Corel's beta primarily involves the interaction of OSes that REQUIRE browser support! OS/2 does not need this kind of testing. Mr. Delahoz could have filled out the form, like I did two months ago, nicely explaining his OS/2 situation, etc. Unfortunately, that did not happen!
Now that the GA release of OS/2 navigator is out (with the faster Java VM which installs on Warp 3 as well as 4) OS/2 users can run it well enough to get a taste. It's slow over a phone line but it really works well for me! This also means more attention can be paid to OS/2 since better structures are poised to be in place as users upgade their system!
BTW COREL MENTIONS OS/2 on the PREVIEW PAGE!
I wish Mr. Delahoz would calm down, go to the preview page, and smile. I also think he owes Corel an apology for the "sharp" note.
I agree with your article 100%. I bought and loaded Warp, but due to a lack of software required in my field (technical documentation) I was forced back into Windows. I have to use software that is compatible with what is being used by those I do documentation for, and most companies are using Windows 3.1, 95 or NT. Presently I operate out of NT 4.0 for the most part, but even at that have been forced to operate in a dual-boot mode with Windows 95 because NT 4.0 does not support virtual device drivers, rendering a majority of software applications incompatible.
This should not have occurred as Microsoft ran extensive and prolonged Beta tests, which should have given the software people ample opportunity to be prepared - they were not. The software industry, for the most part seems only willing to support the major platform. This should have been obvious as the use of Macintoshes and Apples decreased so have the software packages written to support them. Many software companies that used to support only the Macs and Apples have shifted their major efforts to the Windowed PC market, with some abandoning the Mac platform entirely.
The hold-up with any new operating system will continue to be the software industry and their tunnel vision with respect to multiplatform applications. Microsoft has a definate advantage since they have a hugh software application effort in their own house. IBM has not advertized, or put forth enough effort to support even their own product - OS2 Warp. Until they do so they deserve to lose out.
Incidently, I am pleased with the performance of Windows NT 4.0. A slight bit more difficult to configure than 95, but it is stable.
I had OS/2 Warp 3 on an IBM Aptiva and I loved it! Unfortunately the Aptiva was a real peice of junk and I bought a Micron instead (WFW3.11). However I shall be getting another computer which I intend to install an extra HD and OS/2 ver 4.
I do not understand the market place that thinks Win95 is a True 32 bit os. I think it's the "Emporers New Clothes", if you know what I mean. I am enthused to see so many pages on the Internet regarding OS/2.
I assume you are rather familiar with Dan Porter's statement "ENTERPRISE 3001" by now, and will leave out the context of the statements I present comments to.
Most of this has been emailed directly to Dan, but I found my statements validated after Microsoft's impressive assasin of Java, OS/2 missing support from Creative and the comments that have been put forward after Comdex.
Regarding IBM' decission not to market OS/2 Warp 4.0, Dan Porter says:
I say we should accept these facts about IBM's marketing strategy and move on.No, we shouldn't. The strategy is wrong and is about to kill OS/2 by simply removing OS/2 from the public display. And this will start to hurt OS/2 server in late '97 due to the fact that at this point a lot of the current Win 3.11 / OS/2 /Windows 95 clients will be traded in for Windows /NT Workstations.
And after this, AS/400 is going to get a blow. At this time you will have Windows /NT on Tandem. And since IBM public announced that Tandem is making better servers than IBM, people will believe this is something GREAT.
There is a important message in this: Microsoft may not be able to make real OS'es. They may be crappy programmers. They may not know anything about The one Good Thing. But They Know Marketing!!!
They are calling the shots, and if IBM want to get back in the league they better start playing the game by the new rules until they are able to change them.
Your suggestions were OK. It would have been better if you included #9. The #9 series 331, 531, and 771 all provide excellent OS2 Warp performance, as well as the 128BIT imagination series2. #9 Also supplies OS2 Warp drivers for 3 and 4.
PS Most Packard Bell PC's video can be upgraded from 1 to 2MB ram for less than $25, resulting in acceptable video performance for every day use--2 SOJ chips is all.
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