------------------------------ WarpCast ------------------------------
Source: Loren Bandiera, http://catbert.istar.ca/os2/
Reply-to: lorenb@inforamp.com
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The following is a public response from IBM's General Manager, Donn Atkins, to a
recent article on ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/zdnn/1124/245306.html)
which portray's OS/2's current state in a bad light.

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We believe it is necessary to respond to the misleading article that was published on
various Ziff-Davis web sites regarding OS/2.  The story takes an internal
announcement at IBM about a new division, in which OS/2 plays a significant role
and paints a negative story toward OS/2.  This is far from correct.  As we've stated
for well over one year, OS/2 will continue to be positioned as a network computing
operating system within IBM's overall network computing and e-business strategy.

During 1997, IBM enhanced both the OS/2 client and server products and also created
an entirely new offering, WorkSpace On-Demand.  As was stated to the reporter, IBM
will continue to enhance the OS/2 product line during 1998.  This involves additions
to both the client and server product, an entirely new version of OS/2 Warp Server and
also an update of WorkSpace On-Demand.

Also, as was stated to the reporter, the vast majority of the employees will continue
work on the same projects that they were doing prior to the announcement of the new
division.  Stating that IBM is moving a number of OS/2 managers and developers into
new positions is completely inaccurate. During the announcement of the new division,
IBM named Donn Atkins, former VP of Marketing for OS/2 as the new General Manager
of the OS/2 business unit.  The former General Manager for OS/2, Michael Lawrie, is the
General Manager for the newly created division.  Again, the day-to-day actvities of most
employees will be unchanged.

IBM now has two focused organizations within its Software Group:  the new Network
Computing Software Division and the Software Solutions Division headed by Steve Mills.
The two organizations within IBM Software will bring competitive, functional and
integrated solutions to the market.  The Software Solutions  team will focus on the
higher-level transaction processing, database, middleware and packaged servers.   This
team will place a greater emphasis on packaging server software into easy-to-use products,
and focus on distributed systems and tools where there is a huge opportunity.  The
Network Computing Software division will focus on our Java initiatives, network
infrastructure technologies and OS/2 products that support e-business. This brings
together our Java team, and the Networking Software (NS) and Personal Software Products
(PSP) organizations.

This is what was announced when forming the new division and this is how the news
should be seen.

Donn Atkins
General Manager for OS/2
IBM Corporation
***
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