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IBM expects to deliver Warp server several months early

By Ed Scannell
InfoWorld Electric

Posted at 4:06 PM PT, Jun 18, 1997
NEW YORK -- IBM will likely ship the next version of OS/2 Warp, code-named Blue Bird, by the end of the third quarter rather than near year's end, IBM officials said here this week at PC Expo.

Company officials also said they would send Java 1.1, expected to be an integral part of Blue Bird, in to beta testing the week of June 23. The company expects to deliver the final product in the early fall, or at about the same time it ships the completed version of Blue Bird.

Blue Bird, a server-based version of OS/2 Warp, allows larger accounts to download customized combinations of applications and data to users desktops complete with any one of a number of interfaces, such as a browser or 3270. While the product is aimed primarily at those users with full-blown PCs, it can also be used with thinner clients, such IBM's NetStation network computer.

The strategic intent of the product is to lower the overall cost of ownership of PCs and software, similar to Microsoft's Zero Administration strategy, although Blue Bird is aimed more narrowly at OS/2 Warp users. (See "Microsoft poised to release Zero Administration kit for NT.")

While Blue Bird supports 16-bit Windows applications, it offers no support for 32-bit Windows applications, something IBM officials do not appear in any hurry to support despite the growing popularity of Windows NT on the desktop.

They believe the rapid rise in popularity of the 100% Pure Java initiative among developers and users gives IBM its best chance to date of leveling the playing field against Windows.

"A year or two ago we were just stymied about what to do about Windows support. There is just no way we could keep up with all the API changes Microsoft was making to Windows," said Mike Lawrie, general manager of IBM's Personal Software Products division. "But if 100% Pure Java captures a big chunk of the market, there will be lots of room for us to maneuver [against Microsoft]. But right now I see Java expanding the market and dominating these new markets. It will not dominate Windows but could grab a good share of those users looking to do intranets," Lawrie said.

Another alternative for OS/2 Warp users that want 32-bit Windows applications support that IBM and Citrix have been jointly pushing this year is Citrix Systems's Winframe thin client/server. Officials from both companies claim offers a lower cost approach to deploying and managing 32-bit Windows applications. (See "Citrix details strategy in wake of Microsoft deal.")

While most hard-core OS/2 users do not have 32-bit Windows support high up on their wish lists, some say such support would afford them more flexibility in stitching together enterprise-class applications.

"Our anticipation is Windows NT is going to be a hell of a lot more popular on desktops in two years than it is now and so we would like to weave that in with the OS/2 app we are using for some of our financial services now," said Mike Remy, a systems engineer with a large bank in New York.

While Blue Bird will not be ready until early fall, PSP is pulling together a small technical-support team that will help corporate users to configure their existing OS/2 Warp Servers to deliver essentially the same distributed capabilities as the upcoming product.

While IBM has yet to work out a strategy, it is possible the company could use Blue Bird to distribute added capabilities to Java OS-based thin clients by downloading several OS/2 Warp-specific capabilities to complement the JavaSoft operating system. It could also further strengthen IBM's client-server Java strategy, company officials believe.

"Just being able to download device driver support so these systems could hook all sorts of state-of-the-art peripherals would be a worthwhile effort," said Anthong Brown, the business line manager for new technology with PSP.

IBM, in Armonk, N.Y., is at http://www.ibm.com.

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Please direct your comments to InfoWorld Electric News Editor Dana Gardner.

Copyright © 1997 InfoWorld Publishing Company

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