The Chronicles of John Ominor- by John Ominor, The Inhuman

I am John Ominor , The Inhuman. Today Ominor will discuss several new issues plaguing the OS/2 user community.

First, the shift of the only OS/2 native tax application, Taxdollars from a commercial based product to shareware.

This product is worthy. It is small, extremely affordable (even to paupers) and has been used by the Avatar to prepare his taxes. All OS/2 users who must pay taxes and choose to do so, should download this product from BT&T and evaluate it for themselves.

Next, Ominor marvels at the resistance of some users to the free upgrade to Process Commander. Yes, it requires a registration code and entry of a single word from the manual. Yes it is "pirate protection". Now, upgrade or not, but end your whining. John Ominor has applied the patch and moved on. You should, too. Or else...

And what of the OS/2 gaming market?

Ominor will not bore you with yet another rendition of why OS/2 would make an exceptional entertainment platform, nor will he engage in the constant assaults on IBM's apparent abandonment of the consumer market.

It has been stated that sales of even the mainstream Trials of Battle have been disappointing. Perhaps. "But why?" you ask The Inhuman, "How can this be? Surely it is not its inability to allow network play on a 28.8k modem, its most touted feature?" The Inhuman will explain all.

Ominor has entertained the thought that the OS/2 user base has shrunk over the past few months and has quickly dismissed such a thought as being unworthy. It is difficult to believe that such a large number of users have abandoned OS/2, in any incarnation, on a large enough scale to justify lower sales without reading about such an exodus in every computer publication in existence. If software sales have indeed become stagnant, it is more likely that lack of advertisement is the cause. After all, comp.os.os2.* can only absorb so many copies of software.

Knowledge... knowledge is the key. Knowledge of what OS/2 and its software has to offer must be disseminated from Ominor to the masses. This has not been done. The Application sampler compact disc that was shipped with OS/2 Warp 4.0 would have been far more useful two years ago. In addition, The Inhuman can only conclude that the so-called 32-bit Alliance has failed. Despite its promise, despite its OS/2 Magazine appearances and rumored appearances in other magazines, any significant marketing strategy has failed to materialize.

The solution is obvious. Esther Schindler, an excellent freelance writer and phantom of Usenet has echoed the wisdom of Ominor in her postings several times in the past, but even she has missed one basic point, the same point that seems to elude some OS/2 software developers. The success of their software is directly tied to the success of OS/2. OS/2 must be promoted even if it is through your own actions. But Ominor will touch on this further in a moment.

Let us first address the issue of OS/2 developer abandonment for the Windows platform, for this subject seems to concern both OS/2 and Apple users. This idea does not warrant the consideration of Ominor because it is nonviable. Several of the largest Windows vendors, for instance Borland and Quarterdeck are experiencing extremely difficult financial times as Microsoft struggles to exclude all third party developers from all facets of the software market. It is unfathomable that any OS/2 vendor that entered this market with an already acknowledged smaller financial base would make more impact there than in the realm of OS/2. Have many have heard of Family Tree Plus? Windows developers are truly a dime a dozen with little separating sheep from flock.

So, what is the solution? A retrenching is needed. OS/2 must go back to the basics. We all well the remember that inane OS/2: "totally cool" advertising campaign from the release of OS/2 Warp 3.0. Would it surprise anyone to know that it succeeded to some degree? There are still people walking around who were intrigued by that commercial but were not provided with enough information, enough knowledge. All OS/2 vendors must band together and revive the 32-bit Alliance. Only then can the resources be available to do what Ms. Schindler and countless others feel must be done. The level of awareness of OS/2 must be increased.

Software must be shipped out to journalist.

Calls must be made to request that journalists review OS/2 products.

OS/2 users must consider local commercials on cable television that actually utilize some of the better ideas born on the Internet.

The Inhuman knows that if his business were OS/2 software, others would know of this. Not just those who occupy the newsgroups, but those who control the print media.

Only when others outside of the OS/2 user community know of OS/2's offerings can OS/2 move beyond the narrow confines of human vision.


The origins and current plans of Ominor are known only to Ominor. He is indeed a mystery to all. Save The Inhuman.

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