Now we interview Eugenio Varejao, a teacher in a Forestry School in Portugal.
He is in charge of a computer lab for geographic information.
Eugenio > Education at the university level, for forestry.
VOICE >Can you please describe your current use of OS/2 in your workplace?
What kind of hardware and software are you using for OS/2? Approximately how many
pc's are running OS/2 at your site?
Eugenio > OS/2 is used to produce maps with a CAD program Bentley's MicroStation
95 for OS/2, when we need to export these data to Geographical Information System
(GIS) the computers are connect in a Peer network with a Windows NT machine, in
the same domain. The OS/2 hardware is: Pentium 200, 32Mb and 1Gb, the Windows NT
hardware is PP200, 64Mb, 4Gb.
Currently we have 7 OS/2 machines, 1 with NT and 1 running Clix (Intergraph
Unix). Now we have an IBM Netfinity 35000 server with OS/2 Warp Server 4 to be the
server of the intranet of this lab. We are connect to the Internet, by our university
network.
One of the OS/2 computers is very special: is a Cyrix 166, 32Mb, 800Mb+100Mb,
and is running a software for DOS to collect data from GPS satellites and is working
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the last time I saw it the counter is marking
5 months and some hours!
Some students are using the OS/2 computers to receive email and surf the Internet.
VOICE > How did you decide to use OS/2? What features were considered important
for this project(s)? What previous experience was there with OS/2 and other operating
systems?
Eugenio > I dislike very much windows 3.1 mainly because of the problems caused
with printers. At home I use OS/2 since version 2.0 and I like the way it works
and I bought books to get more from it. For me this project is important, and my
little knowledge of this OS and the need for stability in the work environment.
VOICE > What other operating systems if any were under consideration or are
used for your business? If you use OS/2 in conjunction with other OSes in any form
of a network, how well does OS/2 work with these other systems?
Eugenio > As I said we use NT and a proprietary unix and we have no problems
with this combination.
VOICE > Do you foresee continued/increasing use of OS/2 in this fashion?
Eugenio > As long as I can have software for it...
VOICE > Are there any changes that you would like to see to OS/2 that would
facilitate your continued use or expanded use of OS/2?
Eugenio > Better drivers, maybe a refresh in the GUI perhaps WIN32 fully supported.
VOICE > How have IBM's statements that they are targeting the medium to large
business sector affected your work or your decision to continue using OS/2 for this/these
task(s)?
Eugenio > Frustrating! But I'll keep using it.
VOICE > If IBM licensed another company to sell the OS/2 client to home/SOHO
users, would it affect your usage of OS/2 (would you use more OS/2 clients for your
work, etc)? If this company could add features, what features would you like to
see added?
Eugenio > YES!
VOICE > Would you be interested in a refreshed version of OS/2 Warp 4.0, that
is a new install package that included all fixes and new enhancements as well as
new hardware support since the original release?
Eugenio > And yes again
VOICE >Has your business been contacted by IBM about the potential use of
Work Space on Demand? Do you see any use for that product in your business?
Eugenio > No! If someone could show me the advantage maybe I can consider
it
VOICE > Do you know of any other sites using OS/2 in your industry?
Eugenio > No!