THE WARPED PERSPECTIVE
May 2001
What is the current status of OS/2
development? Is anybody writing code for this platform today? Why should developers
consider writing for OS/2, anyway?
Sure, we can argue in favor of OS/2's superior object-oriented interface standard,
the WorkPlace Shell or WPS, but having a superior GUI standard does not necessarily
make a great OS. For example, Apple has long had a superb GUI model that most first-time
users find is straightforward, intuitive, and appealing. But an OS is much more
than a GUI; the Apple OS of the 1990's did not have the transaction-handling and
memory-management skills of its Intel-based cousins such as OS/2 Warp and Windows,
nor did its internal infrastructure compare favorably with Unix-based platforms.
On the other hand, having a great set of internals does not necessarily make a platform
the ideal target for all developers. Code writers who targeted Unix-based platforms
for low-end, home-user, or small-business applications would find marketing these
applications more difficult than targeting the DOS or Windows world. It is a tribute
to Microsoft's enduring stranglehold on the Intel-based preload market -- a form
of mercenary monopoly trust in which PC manufacturers become vassal middlemen, essentially
a software distribution channel for Microsoft -- that the operating systems with
the worst internals became the platforms with the greatest market share. So developers
targeting these platforms risk being consumed by Microsoft, or simply left without
an income source when a cheap knock-off version of their product gets bundled with
the next Microsoft platform.
Rather than considering the technical or market conditions of a platform, some developers
have chosen to write for platforms with favorable support communities. In other
words, they have chosen to develop based on the type of people involved, the atmosphere
of comraderie, and the attitude of virtue in excellence instead of merely virtue
in profit. Two examples of this type of development community are Linux and OS/2
Warp.
It is no coincidence that there is a significant overlap between users, promoters,
and developers of Linux corresponding to users, promoters, and developers of OS/2.
While both platforms provide excellent internals upon which to build an application
framework, it is the attitude of mutual cooperation, support, and teamwork that
these people have that makes them similar. They have in common not merely a common
distaste and dislike for Microsoft's shoddy products and cynical, manipulative practices,
as some wonks may claim. Rather, it is the mutual appreciation of the tinkerer,
the hobbyist, the innovator within that drives them on to commitment and progress.
Is there an ongoing sense of progress in the OS/2 camp? Yes, I can see it clearly.
As a member of VOICE (http://www.os2voice.org/),
I get regular updates (in fact, almost daily) of developers creating new and innovative
utilities and applications for OS/2. There is a constant flow of ideas and encouragement
in various user groups such as POSSI (http://www.possi.org/)
and the Philadelphia OS/2 User Group (http://www.phillyos2.org/).
Many other OS/2 User Groups continue to flourish, both in the U.S. and around the
world. While media pundits attempt to spread a pall of death and dismay, the reality
is quite simple: OS/2 Warp is alive and well, because a dedicated group of developers
and users continue to enjoy the benefits of the innovator mentality and a mutually
supportive community.
However, the long-term health and continued growth of OS/2 development depends on
more than just a sense of community. In most cases, the prominent and prosperous
support centers for OS/2 are those which require a financial commitment, however
small that may be. Joining POSSI or VOICE or attending the annual Warpstock
convention is an example of "putting your money where your mouth is."
Team OS/2 did not have such a clearly-defined structure with dues, officers, and
membership lists, and its withering is more a result of the lack of structure than
a lack of enthusiasm. Quite simply, people come and go, and products come and go,
and even companies come and go, but the embodiment of community action into a funded
organization lends an element of stability that continues to endure, even when the
initial burst of zeal has faded.
So development for OS/2 is not a sign of mindless fanaticism, nor is it a financial
death-wish. It is a recognition that a community of dedicated, appreciative supporters
continues to prosper and is willing to "put its money where its mouth is."
Supporters of Linux take note -- when the initial phase of enthusiastic support
fades, be sure to have a stable, planned structure to preserve the wonderful sense
of cooperation and community for the long haul.
Most recent revision: April 28, 2001
Copyright © 2001, Tom Nadeau
All Rights Reserved.
E-MAIL: os2headquarters@mindspring.com