Path: gmdzi!unido!mcsun!uunet!timbuk.cray.com!hemlock.cray.com!bgm
From: b...@hemlock.cray.com
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Idea on how WE can help OS/2 and its ISVs
Message-ID: <1991Oct15.201059.16209@hemlock.cray.com>
Date: 16 Oct 91 01:10:59 GMT
Reply-To: b...@hemlock.cray.com ()
Organization: Cray Research, Inc., Eagan, MN
Lines: 80

Everyone / Anyone :

I started asking myself what could I personally and on my own time do to
help OS/2 and  its many independent  software developers?   Many times I
hear:

  A) There are 600,000 sold  copies of OS/2. 1,000,000 copies  expected
     by year's end.

  B) Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)  complain they don't know how
     to reach the OS/2 end-user.  Advertising is a shot in the dark
     reaching more DOS users than OS/2.

  C) OS/2  end-users  asking  for  products like UNDELETE which
     GammaTech sells.

The need is to get these two camps together.  The solution is a list  of
all OS/2 end-users.  Is this solution new?  No!

Many of these ISVs tell me they  asked IBM for a list of all  registered
OS/2 end-users.  IBM refused on legal grounds.

I asked myself:  Why cannot  we, the end-users, get together and  create
the list ourselves for the ISVs.  Both sides (ISVs and us the  end-user)
win.  We both win because:

  A) We get information about the other side.  ISVs get a list of
     end-user who want OS/2 application information.  End-users win
     because they hear of what products do exist.

  B) **If** the list becomes long then it can be an example to ISVs
     who are considering OS/2 products that a market exists.  Of
     course a small list tells US something (e.g.: we did not do a 
     good job of getting the word out and/or many people simply are
     not using OS/2).


This note is *** NOT *** asking for your name.


Before doing anyting, I would like to hear what people think of this
idea.  There are many issues.  For example:

  A) Is this a good idea?

  B) What is the best way (easiest on me and others who do the work)
     to recieve and process the names.

  C) Anyone else interested in helping?!!!!?  IBMers welcomed!

  D) What information to ask people to provide.  For example:

    i) Name
   ii) Address to mail information
  iii) Email or BBS address for contact and/or information
   iv) Computer hardware information
    v) Computer software information - are you using OS/2?
       If yes, which version(s).  If no, when do you plan on starting?
   vi) List existing OS/2 applications you own and/or use
  vii) List application you'd like to be able to own and/or use
 viii) Comments

  E) How to collect this information - say via a BBS, Internet FTP
     node or both?

  F) How to insure this request for names recieve high visibility?
     For example:  Ask everyone to pass this note on to anyone you
     know who owns OS/2, onto other BBS, Internet FTP nodes, etc.

This list should be better than a list of registered OS/2 end-users from
IBM for  one simple  reason.   IBM's list  would be  everyone who bought
OS/2.    This  list  includes  only  those  OS/2  end-users  asking  for
information and those planning on starting to use OS/2.

So what do you  think?  Are you  willing to help?   Again this is not  a
request for names/information.  It is simply a request for your  opinion
on this idea.

Bert Moshier
Cray Research, Inc.