offer - OS/2 for the PDP-11

[madodel]

jd wrote:
> madodel wrote:
>> I have never seen an OS/2 based ATM at a command prompt.  It must have
>> been a windoze based ATM.  
> 
> No, it was OS/2. Windoze was not used for ATM's at the time. It is
> possible to get into a shell. Have had to use a mere numeric keypad to
> get a shell prompt when the keyboard, trackball and touchscreen all
> quit working. <=Warp3+. btdt. I know that windoze, since NT3.51 and
> 95, has been put on ATM's. Wasn't at all hard to BSOD them; sometimes
> just looking cross at them does it. Usually it took a tiny bit more,
> though.

Then the programmers didn't know what they were doing.  OS/2 has long had 
the ability to set either a command prompt or a Presentation Manager 
program executable as its shell, which would prevent anyone from getting at 
the system desktop.  If they set a PM program as the shell, crashing the 
program would just reboot OS/2 back into the program.

> 
>> Large IBM customers have contracted for their own OS/2 source code line
>> support.  IBM refers smaller customers who just need to purchase new
>> licenses or get support for new hardware to Serenity Systems for their
>> OEM version of OS/2.
>>
> 
> It's nice that it's not following other better OS's into oblivion,
> then. I'm sure there was much rejoicing. Define "large customers"?
> Mega OS/2 sales/licenses or mega multinationals or what?

Large to IBM is gigantic to me and most likely you.  I know Medtronics had 
and probably still has its own source code line, but they use OS/2 for 
highly specialized embedded devices.  Keep in mind contracting with IBM for 
source code support probably does not get the company the actual source 
code, just their own version of OS/2 that IBM will consider making 
fixes/updates to if they agree to.  I have heard there are things IBM will 
not fix no matter what.

Mark


-- 

  From the eComStation Desktop of: Mark Dodel

  Warpstock 2007 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada: http://www.warpstock.org
  Warpstock Europe - Valkenswaard close to Eindhoven, the Netherlands: 
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