I recently attended the Warp 4 launch even in San Francisco and have spoken with many IBM executives. From this, some things have become clear. I think that we, as consumers and as users of OS/2, need to face reality and move forward from there.

Fact 1. There will be no push by IBM to sell OS/2 or OS/2 products in the retail channels. There have been initiatives to do that on the part of IBM and other failed ventures in the past. IBM is not about to try again. It would cost millions to do so and the chances of success are not all that good.

Fact 2. There will be very little, if any, consumer-level advertising for OS/2. It just won't happen.

Many would argue that IBM didn't go about it in the right way before and that it could have succeeded had it been done correctly. Perhaps. I just don't know. That isn't the point, though. The point is that it won't happen now. I have had several conversations with IBM executives recently. These conversations were as recent as the Warp 4 Launch Event in San Francisco on September 25th. I say we should accept these facts about IBM's marketing strategy and move on.

Fact 3. IBM is not abandoning OS/2. Nor is OS/2 dead. Nor is Warp 4 the last hurrah for OS/2. None of these possibilities were ever seriously considered to be realistic or reasonable options.

Fact 4. IBM intends to aggressively market OS/2 to the "top" 3,000 large networked enterprises who are using OS/2 or are "qualified" prospects for OS/2.

I contend that there are 3,001 large networked enterprises. We, collectively, individual and small business consumers of OS/2, are that additional enterprise. IBM doesn't see it that way and unfortunately, until now we haven't seen it that way either. But that could change. We can be "Large Networked Enterprise 3001" if we want to be.

A few months ago we, InnoVal Systems Solutions and a significant number of supporters, launched the Ever Onward OS/2 campaign in response to the Tibbetts and Bernstein article that appeared in Information Week. As a result of that campaign we collected nearly 2,800 letters in support of OS/2. These were all sent to executives at IBM. Were they read? I think that many of them were, based on conversations that I had with management at IBM. I also think that they had some positive effect.

I would like to see us move into the next phase of this campaign. For that I need your ideas. Every reasonable letter that we get will be collected into a book, or several books, and presented to IBM executives. We'll sit down face to face with IBM management and present your case. What is it that we want to see IBM do for us, its largest OS/2 customer? Isn't it about time that Lotus delivered on a full office suite for OS/2? Is that important to us? Is it important that IBM sustain and even bolster support for its native OS/2 and Java ISV's so that we get the software that we need? Tell us what you think.

Fact 5. Microsoft is not the issue, regardless of what you think about Bill Gates or Microsoft. I don't like their monopolistic practices any more than the next guy. Sure, I'd like to see them knocked down a peg or two. But the real issue for me is OS/2, my operating system of choice. I, with you, am an IBM customer.

Fact 6. IBM is not betraying OS/2 when it releases products for Windows NT and Windows 95. IBM knows full well that it must serve its customers' needs as completely as possible. Large accounts have multiple platforms. Being a multi-platform provider actually increases IBM's chances of making OS/2 a success.

It is time for "Enterprise 3001" to move forward and press its case with its supplier -- IBM. If you want to be a part of this initiative please let us know. What we need most is your ideas and your endorsement. Tell us why OS/2 is the ideal platform for you and others who are consumers. Tell us what your priorities are. We'll carry the story forward. We'll issue press releases. And we will keep you informed.

Here is how you can help:

1. Send a letter with ideas or your endorsement for OS/2. We are particularly interested if there is anything that you can do to help. Send your input to warp@innoval.com. If we are to use a letter that you write, we request that you sign your name. If you want us to withhold your name, we can do so if you request it.

2. Spread the word through the Internet, on CompuServe and other networks.

3. And please participate in our weekly straw poll survey at http://www.aescon.com/innoval/everos2/.

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