• The Four Hundred
  • Subscribe
  • Media Kit
  • Contributors
  • About Us
  • Contact
Menu
  • The Four Hundred
  • Subscribe
  • Media Kit
  • Contributors
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • TFH Flashback: Brave Two Worlds, November 1992

    November 1, 1992 Timothy Prickett Morgan

    In the last contest between IBM and Microsoft–the battle for control of personal computers–Microsoft won. OS/2 is growing, to be sure. But nearly all the personal computers going into business offices use applications written for a Microsoft environment: either DOS or Windows. With Windows for Workgroups now reaching the first brave users, Microsoft’s main systems software development effort is aimed at controlling the fastest personal computers in every business. This is the project to field Windows NT, a software product already well along the way to a mid-1993 debut.

    In addition to running on fast personal computers, Windows NT is expected to run on several important brands of midrange systems. In particular, it will work with machines made by DEC and Hewlett-Packard, the two makers of midrange computers that are in IBM’s league when it comes to wealth, power, reliability and technical prowess.

    Within a year or so after it hits the market, the Windows NT program will most likely vanquish Unix, at least in commercial settings. It will probably make it easy for businesses, professional firms and corporate departments to operate networks of PCs. Even if it doesn’t make running a network easy, it will almost certainly bring it within the scope of many businesses that do not have computer experts on the payroll. A further advantage of Windows NT–at least in Microsoft’s battle plans, as we understand them–will be its standard data base management system. This program, called Microsoft Access, is the key to NT’s success beyond the personal computer world. If Microsoft can make it good and keep it cheap, it will be the strongest selling point of the NT environment. By the end of 1993 or during 1994, barring tragedy at Microsoft, NT will be the only practical software alternative to OS/400 in midrange computing. And even though no single hardware company that licenses NT will be as big as IBM–or even as big as IBM’s AS/400 division–the aggregate could well be larger, richer, stronger and faster on its feet.

    IBM and, more importantly, AS/400 customers, had better keep an eye on NT starting now. AS/400 customers have two responsibilities. First, keep IBM very frightened so that it continues to deliver improved technology and better value. Second, develop a complete and accurate understanding of NT so that political challenges to an AS/400 strategy within the corporation can be thwarted.

    Although there will be many settings in which NT and a network is superior to OS/400 and an AS/400, if IBM does a good job it should prevail. Under no circumstances should IBM allow itself to fall behind. Microsoft is to today’s computer industry what IBM was in the past and what it could be again: A company that gets to the head of the pack and stays there.

    Unix, a favorite in technical circles and currently an increasingly popular alternative in commercial set- tings, won’t disappear. But it will be a distant third for bread-and-butter business computing. Unix buffs in academic as well as industrial settings will remain the most creative software developers and the companies building platforms for the environment will also retain a lofty stature. But the ordinary business trying to keep its books in order, provide support for sales and service personnel and generally avoid harboring a cadre of computer experts who cannot speak plain English will shun Unix. The chores done by AS/400s and NT platforms will be taxing (and, often, mystifying) enough to non-technical personnel. Unix will be over the top.

    Next year, when the opposition of NT and OS/400 becomes more obvious–to IBM, too, we hope–the competitive spirit of IBM will rise. Extensions to OS/400 that provide better support for personal computers will get the attention of IBM’s software developers. Alternatively, IBM may field a line of terminals that have the power of personal computers (and maybe a special version of OS/2) but the look and feel of an extended 5250-type tube. In either case, there will be a need for desktop applications that mesh with programs on the AS/400 host. If IBM cannot create the terminals by itself, it might get them as a result of its collaborative efforts with Apple.

    For all we know, IBM might even buy Apple, or at least all the rights to the desktop computers and software the joint venture is producing. The partnership, as it now exists, may merely be IBM’s way of obtaining access to the skills within Apple while avoiding the kinds of problems the IBM corporate atmosphere can cause in create organizations. If this is the case, it shows that IBM learned a great deal from its unfortunate experience with ROLM, the once-fruitful telephone equipment company that went to seed after IBM acquired control.

    Our hope for the AS/400 is in no way meant to suggest that Microsoft is a pushover. On the contrary. Microsoft is precisely the kind of rival IBM’s AS/400 group needs to bring it to sharp focus. And the autonomy that the AS/400 group is gaining is absolutely necessary . . . not only for the success of the AS/400, but for the future of IBM, too.

    The OS/400 and Windows NT worlds will each be better as a direct consequence of the struggle. And by better we mean better for the customer.

    Share this:

    • Reddit
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Tags: Tags: mtfh_rc, Volume 15, Number 2 -- January 9, 2006

    Sponsored by
    PERFSCAN

    Revolutionary Performance Management Software

    At Greymine, we recognize there is a void in the IT world for a dedicated performance management company and also for a performance management tool that’s modern, easy to use, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. That’s why we created PERFSCAN.

    PERFSCAN is designed to make your job easier. With revolutionary technology, an easy-to-read report and graphics engine, and real time monitoring, tasks that used to take days can now take minutes. This means you will know your system better and will be able to provide better service to your customers.

    OUR FEATURES

    PERFSCAN is full of robust features that don’t require you to take a three-day class in order to use the product effectively.

    Customizable Performance Reporting

    Whether you are troubleshooting a major system problem or simply creating a monthly report, PERFSCAN lets you select any combination of desired performance metrics (CPU, Disk, and Memory).

    User Defined Performance Guidelines

    No matter if you are a managed service provider managing complex systems in the cloud or a customer analyzing your on-premises solution, PERFSCAN gives you the flexibility to define all mission critical guidelines how they need to be.

    Understanding The Impact Of Change

    Tired of all the finger pointing when performance is suffering? PERFSCAN’s innovative What’s Changed and Period vs. Period analysis creates a culture of proof by correlating known environmental changes with system performance metrics.

    Comprehensive Executive Summary

    Creating performance graphs is easy. Understanding what they mean is another thing. With one mouse click, PERFSCAN includes an easy-to-understand executive summary for each core metric analyzed.

    Combined Real-Time Monitor And Performance Analysis Tool

    With PERFSCAN’s combined built in enterprise real-time monitor and historical performance analysis capability, you will always know how your mission-critical systems are performing.

    Cloud Performance Reporting Is Easy

    Managing performance for production systems in the cloud can be a black hole to many system administrators. The good news is PERFSCAN analyzes all core metrics regardless of the location. That’s why MSPs and customers love PERFSCAN.

    Detailed Job Analysis

    PERFSCAN shows detailed top job analysis for any desired period. All metrics are displayed in two ways: Traditional Report and Percentage Breakdown Pie Chart. This toggle capability instantly shows the jobs using the most system resources.

    Save Report Capability

    Your boss lost the report you gave to him on Friday. Now what do you do? With PERFSCAN’s save report capability, any report can be retrieved in a matter of seconds.

    Professional PDF Reporting With Branding

    Creating professional looking reports for your customers has never been easier with PERFSCAN. Branding for our partners and service provider customers is easy with PERFSCAN.

    Check it out at perfscan.com

    Share this:

    • Reddit
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Email

    TFH Flashback: Let Them Eat Gates, February 1995

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

TFH Volume: 15 Issue: 2

This Issue Sponsored By

    Table of Contents

    • COMMON, IBM Extend Deadline for iSeries Innovation Awards to January 31
    • Frank Cary, Former IBM CEO and Chairman, Dies at 86
    • Barbarians at Bill Gates
    • Infor to Buy Datastream for $216 Million
    • Auto Parts Dealers Love the iSeries
    • DataMirror Claims Top Benchmark for Data Replication
    • Novell, Red Hat Appoint New Chief Technology Officers
    • An IT Retrospective: Forty Years in the Business
    • COMMON, IBM Extend Deadline for iSeries Innovation Awards to January 31
    • Barbarians at Bill Gates

    Content archive

    • The Four Hundred
    • Four Hundred Stuff
    • Four Hundred Guru

    Recent Posts

    • Power10 Boosts NVM-Express Flash Performance
    • Fortra Completes Postmortem Of GoAnywhere Vulnerability
    • Guru: Binding Directory Entries
    • How Does Your Infrastructure Spending Stack Up To The World?
    • IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 25, Number 22
    • Fortra Issues 20th State of IBM i Security Report
    • FNTS Launches Managed Services for Power Servers in IBM Cloud
    • Total LTO Shipped Capacity Up Slightly in 2022
    • Four Hundred Monitor, May 24
    • Update On Critical Security Vulnerability In PowerVM

    Subscribe

    To get news from IT Jungle sent to your inbox every week, subscribe to our newsletter.

    Pages

    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Contributors
    • Four Hundred Monitor
    • IBM i PTF Guide
    • Media Kit
    • Subscribe

    Search

    Copyright © 2023 IT Jungle