Before the wildly popular yet remarkably unreliable Microsoft Windows took center stage, IBM debuted OS/2, originally a joint venture between the two companies.
As the logical successor to MS- and PC-DOS, OS/2 launched in 1987. Over the next decade, it’s reputation for reliability made it a staple in the finance, POS and transportation sectors. It used to be said in IT circles that “no one got fired for buying IBM.”
By the late ’90s, Microsoft had swept the PC market and “Windows” was a household term. Users were familiar with it at home, the internet was booming and the monolithic nature of IBM struggled to keep up.
By 2006, IBM pulled the plug, leaving a bevy of installed applications (and their users) orphaned.
Since that time, other organizations have risen up to meet the need for ongoing support. Most recently, the tradition has been carried on by ArcaNoae, with the assistance of a network of OS/2 professionals strategically placed throughout the world.
The Future (?) of OS/2
Many times heralded as “dead”, “defunct” or “obsolete”, OS/2 has proven to have a resiliency that matches its legendary stability. Updated with support for modern USB communication, high speed LANs (even wireless) and large hard drives, OS/2 in the form of AcraOS is poised to provide a robust and cost effective platform for custom and specialty applications.
For further details about ongoing support for OS/2, call our office, click on the ArcaNoae logo above or visit our friends at V.O.I.C.E.
Fox Computer & Networking, Inc. 