1997 Readers' Choice Awards: Developers

Freeware or Shareware Developer

Knightware Software Company is back in the top spot for OS/2 Shareware developers for the second year running. Founded by Nick Knight to develop and publish his shareware e-mail client, MR/2 ICE, Knightware Software Company has enjoyed great popularity from its very beginnings. Along with steadily improving and updating MR/2 to make it a world class contender, a new Usenet news reader component has been added to the product over the past year.

Continued devotion to superior products and loyalty to his customers has earned Knight an equally loyal and vocal following which is, if anything, even stronger than last year. So strong, in fact, that it earns Nick Knight our "Freeware or Shareware Developer" award once again.

SouthSoft

Probably everyone in the OS/2 community knows the story of Southside Software, aka SouthSoft, Inc. The company was created by the legendary Robert Novitskey and Evan Goldring (aka "BoB" and "Icon"), in response to a desperate need for a good OS/2 e-mail client.

Almost three years later, SouthSoft, Inc. is no longer only known for its PMMail e-mail client, but for its PMINews Usenet news reader as well. BoB and Icon have shown that hard work and dedication to improvement can not only result in financial success, but also in user appreciation. For the second year SouthSoft, Inc. is our Readers' Choice Runner-Up for "Freeware or Shareware Developer".

Commercial Software Developer

Stardock Systems

It's no surprise to anyone to see Stardock Systems back in the top spot as Readers' Choice for "Commercial Software Developer" this year. Their huge loyal following has increased from last year and due to a full stable of products released in 1997.

Stardock's line of credits include the venerable Galactic Civilizations II, Object Desktop (standard and Professional), Trials of Battle, Process Commander, PlusPak: Themes and B.U.G.S., Entrepreneur and Links for OS/2. With such varied and numerous OS/2 offerings, it's no wonder our readers see Stardock as the White Knight of the OS/2 community.

StarDivision

The only new entry in this year's Developer awards is German upstart StarDivision. With a plan that appears to include taking on the big boys of office suite development (Lotus, Microsoft, Corel), StarDivision may have the biggest dreams of any developer currently writing for OS/2.

Their suite, StarOffice, which includes a spreadsheet, graphics app, word processor and much more, is available in feature-equivalent versions for Windows 95/NT, OS/2 and Linux, in German and English. It has long been out in "beta" form, but many OS/2ers are clamoring for a final release. Whether StarDivision wants our money or not though, they are still popular enough to claim this year's Runner-Up award in the "Commercial Software Developer" category.

[Our Sponsor: Perez Computing Services - Makers of Ctrl-Alt-Del Commander and IPF Editor.]