Thinkpads Forum

Hi, All,

I recently signed the extremely well thought out OS2World petition at

http://www.os2world.com/petition/

to open source OS/2 code. I also asked that IBM at least consider open sourcing the IBM Web Explorer browser code as browser support for OS/2 Warp always takes a back seat to the Windows platform browsers in today's developer community and will become increasingly problematical in the future.

I think that open sourcing OS/2 and OS/2 Warp code would certainly create new opportunities for the current Warp software development community. Jobs would be created, many programs written and the software avilable for OS/2 Warp would be even better and less expensive.

However, there are serious legal problems with who owns what code in OS/2. As I understand it, Microsoft and some third party developers own part of the OS/2 and OS/2 Warp code.

I can't see Microsoft willingly giving up any source code to OS/2.
I think that they still make some money off of the sales of OS/2 Warp even though they tried unsuccessfully to completely kill it off in the market place some years ago. I do not know how any of the third party developers who own code in OS/2 and OS/2 Warp would feel about open sourcing their code though possibly they might be more receptive to the idea than Microsoft.

I can't see Microsoft willingly open sourcing their OS/2 code given they believe that Linux is a present and future threat to their market share as would be OS/2 Warp if it were open sourced. I think that IBM would have to be willing to go to the court system and do very expensive legal battle for years with Microsoft to get all of the Microsoft-owned OS/2 code open sourced.

However, I believe that the idea of IBM open sourcing the OS/2 code that only IBM owns and releasing a list of what code owned by other parties needs to be replaced by open source code is not only excellent but very workable.

Microsoft still has world wide domination of the PC desktop as their goal. However, I have said for years that the only computer company in the world that could put Microsoft out of business is IBM. The last time I read figures for the numbers of programmers each corporation
had, IBM had more programmers than Microsoft by a considerable margin.

IBM is considered to have the very best lawyers in the computer industry. However, it would take a strategic decision by extremely brave top executives at IBM to open source OS/2 and OS/2 Warp code considering the endless trouble and financial expense that Microsoft could be willing to cause to try to kill open sourced OS/2 and OS/2 Warp code.

Is present or future top management at IBM willing to take on the risk of a possibly endless battle with Microsoft for opened sourced OS/2 and OS/2 Warp code?

Could an open sourced OS/2 Warp eventually put Microsoft out of business? 8>)

What do you think?

Best,
RadarCat

No, I don't believe it can't . As you said yourself, OS/2 includes a large number of patented code, which will haunt it even if it goes open-source. One big lawsuit is all you need. OTOH, Linux (and to an extend Solaris) have proven in legal cases that they can stand thier ground, and in many cases they have taken on Windows and won, especially on the corporate/server market.

IBM is indeed one of the two companies that face MS and win. Apple is the other one, but they must reconsider the pricing and features of their hardware in order to do so (as their software is semi-closed-source, but kicks butt). Still, IBM has shown by supporting Linux that it is genuinly interested in an alternative, and this could be promising for a more competitive market in the future.

However, sad as it may be, I dont't think that OS/2 has any future whatsoever, apart from some enthusiasts that like it enough to develop code for it. Since the behemoth that created it does not support it any more, I find it hard that many (mainly corporate) people will trust upon it and face possible legal implications from someone as powerful as MS.

...

I'm thinking OS/2 will probably end up joining the same group as vinyl records, the Commodore 64 and the Polaroid SX-70. There is just barely enough support so that the reamining products can stay alive but the product itself is long out of production and only inches from being a full 6 feet under.

AlphaKilo470 wrote:I'm thinking OS/2 will probably end up joining the same group as vinyl records, the Commodore 64 and the Polaroid SX-70.

......you forgot the 8Track tapes, you must be young

While I think there will never be an OS/2 open source, I am sure it will be around still for a very long time as more they kill it the more it comes back

cheers.

...

Maybe, but if I were you, I'd send the family to a different place than myself so I could go clubbing without having to worry about aunt Mae pokin her nose in while I'm trying to pick up the blue-eyed cutie I saw at the poker bar.