WHAT IS HAPPENING?

The Editorial from Patrick Grote

	I've been in the business so to speak for more than 10 years. I hate
how people try to show off by indicating they have been using computers
since the first home PC became available. I'll admit right now -- I was
barely a teenager when I got my own computer and for five years prior to
that I drove all the math teachers I knew nuts by mucking up any PET
computer I could find. Ah, the wonderful POKE command . . . I digress.

	Suffice to say I am probably in the top 15% of all folks when it
comes to getting computers to work like they should. Programming is for
folks who have too much time or are named Marty. Soon, there will be no
programmers except for primary objects. (See our editorial response on
that subject in another section . . .) I am the ultimate Terminator when
it comes to getting computers to do what my clients want them to do. OK,
so I need a cast for my arm ... so, what. I deliver.

	What I've begun to notice is that many companies just aren't
delivering on their software promises. If I wasn't able to deliver to a
client what I promised I'd be out of business and sued twice over.
Amazingly, when Lotus ignores a bug for three revisions of their word
processor, no one bats an eye. (The bug, BTW, is when you go to save a
file. Notice how it doesn't show you a list of files that exist? Hmmm,
it was in there at one time.) Of course, Lotus can shrug this off and
chalk it up to rough production schedules. But on the last three
revisions?

	Take Microsoft for instance. Windows 95? Puhlease . . . . What is
the significance in 95? Who is the dweeb that tossed this one out in a
marketing brain trust meeting? I can see it now. Some guy named Bob
throws out 95. The group agrees. Bill hears about it and decides to name
the new desktop metaphor after him.

	Really, what is 95? According to my trusty Timetables of History the
significant happenings in 1895 are the end of the Chinese-Japanese war
(can't tell who won, but the Queen of Korea was assassinated by the
Japanese), George VI of Great Britain was born (he died in 1952. Does
this mean Microsoft will die in 2052?), H.G. Wells writes the Time
Machine (so that's how Bill knew he could screw IBM on the development
of OS/2) and the motion picture was invented by Auguste and Louis
Lumiere (who are being sued by Apple for QuickTime violations.) So,
what's the deal? Does Microsoft really think it can turn out a good
product by 1995 that delivers the world? What about the slipped shipping
dates? According to the first Microsoft PR on the new operating system
we should have it already as WARP . . . (OS/2 3.0 was to be the next
generation . . .)

	So this gets us into the land of the OS/2 zealots. They are the only
people on earth who will actually say with a straight face that OS/2
will take over Windows on the desktop? Hello? Earth to OS/2 zealots?
People use what is installed on their PCs when they buy it. Try
convincing my grandmother that she can use something other than Windows.
For all she knows she thinks it's part of the machine! OK, so what has
IBM failed to deliver? Applications? Sure, there are over 2000
applications for OS/2. Let's look through their software catalog . . .
Hmmm, a Lotus SmartSuite. This is the one they always point to as being
the equalizer to Windows apps. Let's look a little closer . . . Hmmm,
AmiPro doesn't include some of the functionality of the Windows version.
It is slower as well. Hmmm, look at that Freelance Graphics and Lotus
123 are a revision behind. Hmmm, where did Organizer and ScreenCam go?
What, they only come in the Windows version of SmartSuite? Give me a
break. To be fair we'll look a little further into the catalog . . . Ah,
here we go. A company makes an industrial control system that makes sure
your assembly line reports unusual runs in production. Ah and another
perfect home application ... this one is a medical system that allows a
doctor to punch in some figures concerning a patients spine and receive
a diagnosis back. Yep, my grandma would sure enjoy these! Get a life . .
.

	I guess the biggest company who has not delivered on its promises is
Borland. Could there be a more pathetic excuse for a company than
Borland? Hey, I used to love them. Phillipe Kahn was my personal idol.
Problem was he tried to run a business the way he ran his life. Now the
company is in the toilet and is hoping to rebound with Delphi 95 (oops,
they just dropped the 95). I told you programmers were going to be
non-existent soon . . .

	What are some of your gripes about companies not delivering on their
promises? I would love to read them and share them with the world! Send
me a note at patrick.grote@supportu.com.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Internet providers suck the life out of people. Sure, unlimited SLIP for
50 people through a 56K line.

The ASP is headed for a revolt from the sysop members (yes, I am one).
The latest touch was admitting Rusty & Edies as a BBS member.

Is it me or is IRC a complete waste?

Does America On-line allow transfer of pornographic images? If so, how
come Tennessee hasn't sued them?

RIME is the best non-Internet network in existence.

Do you use NCFTP over FTP?

Have you joined the EMAIL Club? Why not? (emailclub@aol.com for more
info)

PC Ohio is the friendliest US BBS in existence.

Why isn't a gig enough space anymore?

Wanna hear a joke? Windows based BBS systems . . .
