🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Jan7.220154.446@fcom.cc.utah.edu> brian@jaguar.cs.utah.edu (Brian Sturgill) writes:
>In article <1ii7alINNon4@controversy.math.lsa.umich.edu> spexet@math.lsa.umich.edu (D. Robert Spexet II) writes:
>>In article <1993Jan7.192103.16828@netcom.com> rcain@netcom.com (Robert Cain) writes:
>>>I joined the Developers Assistance Program and through that arm
>>>obtained a verbal assurance that there would be "no problem" obtaining
>>>said source code since there was nothing proprietary.  Based on this
>>>assurance and the license I had negotiated for using the interpreter I
>>>quit my day job to live off my savings and develop this product which I
>>>was going to call SimpleScript.
>>
>>Not to question your judgement in this case, but do you think that it was
>>really a wise move to do what you did on the basis of a verbal promise,
>>with nothing backing it up in writing?
>
>
>I think you misunderstand Bob's problem.  All he wanted was a sample printer
>driver.  IBM should have had this available well before OS/2 2.0 GA shipped.
>The point is that they didn't, and they still don't.
>I would agree with you comment if Bob had wanted something unusual from
>IBM, but this is standard stuff.
>
>Brian

I realize that Bob is pissed off -- I would, too. One thing, though, is that
the driver he needs is owned and copyrighted by Microsoft. Perhaps he could
talk to them, and have them release it. That way, he could (perhaps) get
his investment back. Given that Microsoft has a much better track record
with developer support, they would probably help him.

It's very hard to know what has taken place behind the curtains here. For
all I know, IBM may have been pushing very hard on Microsoft to get that 
source code released, maybe even arguing "There is a little guy with all 
his savings on the line", with Microsoft saying "We won't help OS/2 for
all the rice in china". Then again, maybe not.

And yeah, I agree with Bob that IBM has much to learn about developer
support. That will not prompt me to abandon os/2 and ibm, as he suggests.
While Windows NT is a very advanced operating system in its ways, I
believe the workplace shell makes it possible to create more user friendly
and intuitive applications than does the Windows user interface. There-
fore, the hassle may be worthwhile.

Eirik

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Eirik Lygre                                     Phone:    +47 4 623766
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