4 ms·

I got complicated feelings about that. He did help pave the way for Linux, but he also killed OS/2.

by rilindo 9mo ago

raw_anon_1111 9mo ago
OS/2 never had a chance. I was working at Radio Shack at the time that IBM was trying to sell Aptivas with OS/2. No one wanted it. It was just weird to people. Microsoft did a big consumer push for Windows 95 and there were lines to buy it and Bill Gates promoted it on the Jay Leno show. Windows 95 almost killed Apple.
- tonyedgecombe 9mo ago
  It was never really suited to retail sales channels like Radio Shack. It was more of a corporate thing although it obviously failed there as well. I only came across it at one site, a big UK bank (Midland Bank). They were using a heavily modified version, it didn’t look anything like the original product.
- II2II 9mo ago
  There were plenty of people who wanted OS/2. They simply weren't the type of people who would go to Radio Shack. By plenty, I should be clear: it probably wasn't enough for OS/2 survive. IBM made some bad decisions early on. Microsoft was also a thorn in everyone's side and it looked like. While their product was good enough, their business practices were savage. Possibly something they learned from IBM's legacy. I was in my late teens/early twenties at the time. What I learned about how major corporations at the time is likely what led to my llife long interest in open source.
  - bruce511 9mo ago
    Microsoft spent a billion 1995 dollars marketing Win 95. Plus they had existing DOS and Windows 3.x users. Arguably OS/2 was "better" (depending on your definition) but MS were all-in on Windows, and for IBM OS/2 was a side-line. It never stood a chance.
    - georgeecollins 9mo ago
      Douglas Copeland wrote a fictional book called Microserfs. He did a lot of comparison between the culture of IBM and Microsoft. Not a bad book , I recall. as
- zabzonk 9mo ago
  OS/2 had some of the ugliest icons I've ever seen (and that elephant!) - looking cute always wins.
silon42 9mo ago
Yeah, I remember switching from OS/2 to Linux when OS/2 was more or less abandoned.

I got complicated feelings about that. He did help pave the way for Linux, but he also killed OS/2.

by rilindo 9mo ago

I got complicated feelings about that. He did help pave the way for Linux, but he also killed OS/2.

OS/2 never had a chance. I was working at Radio Shack at the time that IBM was trying to sell Aptivas with OS/2. No one wanted it. It was just weird to people. Microsoft did a big consumer push for Windows 95 and there were lines to buy it and Bill Gates promoted it on the Jay Leno show. Windows 95 almost killed Apple.

tonyedgecombe 9mo ago
It was never really suited to retail sales channels like Radio Shack. It was more of a corporate thing although it obviously failed there as well. I only came across it at one site, a big UK bank (Midland Bank). They were using a heavily modified version, it didn’t look anything like the original product.
II2II 9mo ago
There were plenty of people who wanted OS/2. They simply weren't the type of people who would go to Radio Shack. By plenty, I should be clear: it probably wasn't enough for OS/2 survive. IBM made some bad decisions early on. Microsoft was also a thorn in everyone's side and it looked like. While their product was good enough, their business practices were savage. Possibly something they learned from IBM's legacy. I was in my late teens/early twenties at the time. What I learned about how major corporations at the time is likely what led to my llife long interest in open source.
- bruce511 9mo ago
  Microsoft spent a billion 1995 dollars marketing Win 95. Plus they had existing DOS and Windows 3.x users. Arguably OS/2 was "better" (depending on your definition) but MS were all-in on Windows, and for IBM OS/2 was a side-line. It never stood a chance.
  - georgeecollins 9mo ago
    Douglas Copeland wrote a fictional book called Microserfs. He did a lot of comparison between the culture of IBM and Microsoft. Not a bad book , I recall. as
zabzonk 9mo ago
OS/2 had some of the ugliest icons I've ever seen (and that elephant!) - looking cute always wins.

silon42 9mo ago

Yeah, I remember switching from OS/2 to Linux when OS/2 was more or less abandoned.