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 OD-90228                         SUGGESTION                       "PRIDE"-IF
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 JUL 14, 1997                   RELEASE  1.2.0                        PAGE  1

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       *                  MI-10001 WIN32 API SUPPORT                  *
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 REQUIRED DATE- OPEN          USER PRIORITY WEIGHT-  50    RANKING-  0018
 DATE RECEIVED- APR 16, 1997  REQUEST STANDING  - REVIEW   AS OF- JUL 14, 1997
                              TYPE- MOD/IMP

 DESCRIPTION-

        PRODUCT:  OS/2 Warp 4 and OS/2 Warp Server
        AREA:     Base operating system
        WHO:      End-users concerned with productivity

        Provide full Win32 support in the base operating system to
        allow all Windows 95 and NT programs to execute on OS/2,
        thereby making it the premier "integrating platform."

        BUSINESS RATIONALE

        A huge variety of high-quality general and special-purpose
        Win32 apps would be available for OS/2 users.  In most cases we
        are already two generations behind Win95 users.  Examples:
        Microsoft Office (of course), EndNote+,  @RISK, Claris
        FileMaker, etc.

        I seem to recall that Microsoft released their API as a standard
        to meet government requirements to not have a closed system.  It
        should be obvious that OS/2's failure to support Windows NT and
        95 software is a major negative mark against what is otherwise
        a great product that offers a heck of a lot more value than does
        NT.  I would therefore like to see the next server and work
        station release provide the ability to run Windows NT and 95
        software.

        It would be a good marketing option and fun, but not vital,
        to offer a choice of presentation managers, including one
        that looks like NT 4.0, and watch Microsoft complain about
        "Look and Feel" issues.  I am sure that Apple would be happy
        to provide copies of whatever documents they have on had that
        Microsoft filed against them.

        ATTRIBUTES:

        HIGH Value
        Desired NEXT full release

        BENEFIT$

        1.  Strategic marketing move by IBM to encourage new
            users as in the days of WinOS2 support for Win 3.1 users.

        2.  End-users won't abandon OS/2 as their desktop OS when the
            feature list of the Win32 aps get too good to pass up.


        EDITOR'S NOTE:  This request is based on multiple requests,
        which have been merged due to commonality, from the following
        contributors:

        David Rossiter
        Ithaca, NY, USA
        dgr2@clarityconnect.com


        Richard Bradley
        P.O. Box 8386
        Alexandria, VA  22306
        USA
        RickBradley@worldnet.att.net


        Supplemental text:

        My company would very much like to replace the 95/NT
        environment, but we have those Win32 programs that large
        number of people are using.  With this support, a very
        strong case can be made to bring in OS/2 as the standard
        platform.

        Tom Trifon
        trifon@ibm.net

        JUNE 1, 1997
        Win32:  Some thoughts:

        a.  Write a WPS add on to NT?
        b.  Start by replacing OS/2's components with Win32
            compliant subsystems.  One good place to start would
            be with the network driver model.  By making OS/2
            compatible with NT's network driver model you can
            achieve these benefits:
            1.  Happy hardware manufactures - fewer drivers to
                write.
            2.  Happy networked users since more likely to be
                better driver support.
            3.  Publicity - embracing a standard
        c.  OS/2 mindshare - current model is old and 16 bit
            (I believe) and many drivers are not compatible with
            SMP, techno-geeks are not impressed.

        Submitted by:

        Oliver Wilcock
        owcher@ibm.net


        June 3, 1997

        "Add FULL win32 API"

        - Peter vd Berg
        The Hague, Netherlands
        Synetics
        synetics@ibm.net


        Supplemental Text:
        June 21, 1997

        Manufacturing must have Win32 API support in order to continue
        use of OS/2.  The reason behind this is programming software for
        programmable logic controllers are now being written for NT and
        95 only.  Without this software, you cannot interface to a
        manufacturing control system.

        - Mark Hannan
        mhannan@clover.net


        SUPPLEMENTAL TEXT:
        June 27, 1997

        As an OS/2 end user, more and more I feel cut off to the rest
        of the world.  Simply because the available software that I can
        use under OS/2 is becoming less anD less.  TOo few companies
        develop for OS/2, the number of companies developing Win 3.1
        products is shrinking.

        Java is nice, but still a niche in itself.  The OS/2 end user,
        whether it be home, small office or large corporation will be
        switching to another operating system, simply because they need
        to, to stay compatible with the rest of the world and more
        important, with their custumors.

        On the long run OS/2 needs support for Win95/NT applications to
        stay alive.

        Gerald Birkenstock
        Mainz, Germany
        g.birkenstock@mainz.netsurf.de

                           * * * END OF OUTPUT * * *

PLEASE SEND US YOUR COMMENTS! on the priority rankings or any of the suggestions included; send e-mail to the Editor at: TimB1557@aol.com