VisualAge C++ V4 Prof. OS/2 and WinNT US - Acadamic; Euro 4.54 / US $ 4.21. All packages come with CDROM and Documentation.

Today, IBM will announce that support for VisualAge for C++ for OS/2 and Windows V3.0, V3.5, V3.6 and V4.0 will be extended until Sept 28, 2001. Support for VisualAge C++ Professional for AIX V4.0, which contains the C&C++ compiler for AIX V3.6 will be extended until Dec 31, 2002. Support for VisualAge C++ Professional for AIX V5.0 will be extended until Dec 31, 2003.
There are no plans for any follow-on versions for the VisualAge for C++ for OS/2 and Windows versions: V3.0, V3.5, V3.6 and V4.0. The development team will focus their efforts on the AIX versions. This extension will allow additional time to consider and implement your transition plans. Your transition plans should consider the following:

1. Fee for extended service, after Sept 28, 2001, with the understanding this will be defect only support. There will be no new operating system versions supported, no updates to current ANSI levels, no locale updates and no new features.
2. The AIX versions of VisualAge C/C++ will continue to be developed and supported.
3. Legacy the Intel C/C++ code.
4. A thin client model with JAVA on the Intel workstation and C/C++ on the AIX server.
5. New development using VisualAge Java for Intel.

Bill Lee, IBM VisualAge C++ Service and support, bglee@ca.ibm.com

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I recently posted a proposed change to our Upgrade Protection plan. Not final yet .. but .. the short story is I'm changing it from 24 months to 12 months (might still put up a 24 package if folks insist). I'm pulling Software Choice (SWC) out of it and putting the next MCP (MCP2) into it. And I'm dropping the SRP from USD$225 to USD$69.
The reasoning is .. eCS users have the MCP. Most of what is on SWC is in MCP .. so eCS users wind up paying twice for the same features. Instead, I'll provide the second MCP when it becomes available. It will contain any new items put into SWC.
What I'm going to put inside the paranthesis is for your information .. to be posted .. (I have a nondisclosure with IBM regarding OS/2 product plans. Therefore, I cannot comment on IBM plans. But based on what I know, this is the best value package I can provide to eCS customers).
Other items, which I think demonstrate our continued efforts to enhance the user experience with eCS and the support for the product by OS/2 ISVs. First, an eCS Clock by Mark Eckstein. I'm attaching a preview. It needs to be removed before installing any future previews or the GA product. But it gives a taste of what I consider to be the need for "fit and finish". eCS will be time zone aware .. daylight savings aware .. and allow users to create 'reminders' and 'alarms'. And it will be enhanced.
Norman Defense has provided us with a three month version of their Virus Control and CatsClaw. And we are also working with an ISV for a config tool to assist with firewalls.
Feel free to contact me with questions or comments.
I'm working with the distributors on how we might repackage this for the benefit of eCS users. In my original packaging, I included a two year subscription to IBM's Software Choice (SWC). I've come to believe that is overkill. We will continue to offer SWC through our distributors. But I think we have crafted an exciting option for the eCS users. This is my proposal to the distributors. The new eCS Upgrade Protection program will be for 12 months. It will not include SWC. However, it will include the next MCP, due out the end of the year. This means eCS users get the SWC features as a package, not as a subscription. Rembember, it will still be possible to purchase SWC from eCS distributors and from other sources. But I'm repackaging the program because I think we can do better this way. The new eCS UP will be 12 months, not 24. The distributors will determine the actual pricing, but the SRP will be USD $69. And it will include the MCP2, due out around the end of this year.
So the new packaging provides a shorter time frame, 12 months .. a bit more "tactical" and focused. At the same time, it significantly reduces the cost to the user.
First question, what happens at the end of the 12 months? For one thing, all of us will have a better view of things in 12 months. But even if the eCS UP price doubled (and that is a very, very big "if" .. see next para), it would still cost slightly less money than the current package and pricing ... eCS users are still better off. But by now, I think eCS users should have come to understand that Serenity Systems works hard to protect the investment made by our users. Any increase in pricing would be more than matched by an increase in the value proposition.
The next question is, what features would an eCS user miss out on if they don't have SWC. Well, registered eCS users will already have access to fixes and drivers. OS/2 users need SWC to access these features. The immediate feature which may come to mind is the new browser. This browser will be available on SWC with the IBM brand. It will also be available for download from other sources. So, I'm not inclined to suggest that a user purchase a subscription just to get the browser. The point is, once you have the MCP, how much more do you get in SWC and what is it worth? IMO, asking an eCS user to buy SWC is asking them to pay twice for the same set of features. So, Serenity Systems can and will make SWC available at competitive pricing through the resellers. But .. eCS users will also have the option of getting a refreshed eCS at the end of the year, which will include the next Convenience Pack from IBM.
eCS users who do not purchase the Upgrade Protection package will be able to upgrade to the refresh product when it becomes available. I'm not going to put a price on that option today. The only thing I will say is that it can be expected to cost more than the eCS UPP. This a plan ... a proposal to the distributors. But I will come your input and feedback as well.
Regards,

Bob St.John

Dir, New Business Development
Serenity Systems International
a Managed Systems company

214 222-3414, ext 101 (outside USA)
888 299-6483, ext 101 (USA only)

As the web grows, automated search engines and directories with small editorial staffs will be unable to cope with the volume of sites. The Open Directory Project's goal is to produce the most comprehensive directory of the web by relying on a vast army of volunteer editors. The Open Directory Project is an online community. Thus, it is important to have the ability to work well with other editors, in addition to having a critical eye for organization.
The goal of editors should be to produce useful resources for the web public. We do not bar editors with business affiliations, since those editors with their own sites usually know their competition and related sites better than anyone. This knowledge can be ideal for helping build an authoritative directory. However, we will not tolerate editors who only add their own sites, or maliciously interfere with others' listings in the directory.

Santa Clara, Calif. - Theta Band Software, an OS/2-only ISV, is pleased to announce that its two flagship products, WarpCharge and MM Pack, will soon be released under an 'Open Source' software license. This means that the products will be free for personal and business use, and the source code will be available. Theta Band Software has chosen the Open Source route to promote the use and further development of these products in the OS/2 community. These products are unique OS/2 applications, and we felt the time was right for their public release. Effectively immediately, these products are no longer available for purchase. The binary releases of these products are now available free of charge at http://www.thetaband.com/download. The source code is not available yet; however, we expect to release it in the first quarter of year 2001 under the GPL and/or Berkeley (BSD) license. Theta Band Software invites interested parties to email us at info@thetaband.com to express any specific license requirements.

I've been working with Leon Zetekoff of Solutions Techology on a couple of things. Briefly, I want STi to work on device drivers for eCS-OS/2, including TWAIN and USB.
Second, I want to develop some eCS verticals using STi products and DB2 for document management and image management. This vertical product will be positioned to consultants as part of the channel partner program. STi is currently installing a 10 seat eCS network to do document and image management for a small municipal group.
As part of our agreement, STi and Serenity Systems intend to include the STi Applause application in the eCS GA product at no charge to the eCS user. Upgrades and support would be available directly from STi.
Applause is an excellent entry level image utility, which includes STi's Consumer Driver Pack which includes drivers for HP, Fujitsu, and Epson scanners. From a value perspective.. if the eCS user is interested in supporting a scanner, this is an excellent value. The Applause Image Utility has a suggested retail price of approximately $80. I'm pleased to add this feature because I believe more and more users desire the ability to do image and document management on their PCs, getting images ready for use on web sites and html documents. It is also the perfect complement to PMView, which has significant features for editing these images.

No, we may have a 3.03 but we will not have a 4.0. If you look on the beta forum you will see a message explaining why -- basically, the sales are so low that they would not even cover the cost of writing the documentation. We will continue supporting 4OS2 and TCOS2 -- we just aren't adding features to them. Thanks, and please let us know if you have any further questions.

Two new sponsors have joined the DVD Driver contest. David Del Col has donated an impressive list of developer's software and references. William Pociengel has donated $50 with a pledge to donate up to $50 more in matching funds. I do not directly solicit any sponsors but I am happy to accept the participation of any member of the OS/2 community. I am still looking for contestants. If you are a programmer and you are interested in possibly doing this project, please mail me.

Many thanks to the dedicated Browser team at IBM Austin for their help and valuable contribution to the development of Odin.

Serenity Systems has extended the upgrade pricing for Warp 4 users for the remainder of the first quarter, 2001. This pricing now expires on March 31, 2001. According to Kim Cheung, Executive Director, 'We wanted to give Warp 4 users a reasonable window between the GA of the product and the expiration of upgrade pricing. By extending to the end of March, we anticiapte a window of approximately two months.'

I was reading through some archives of this newsgroup and found that there is a lot of confusion surround Warpzilla and IBM's involvement in Mozilla. I've put together this FAQ to hopefully answer some of the questions that have come up. Standard disclaimer applies - my mentioning an IBM branded browser or a Java plugin is not a commitment from the IBM Corporation to produce such products. These plans could change.
Q: Why would IBM create a "branded" browser?
A: Because that is what we are supposed to do.
Here is a quote from http://www.mozilla.org/releases/: "We make binary versions of of Mozilla available for testing purposes only!"
Mozilla releases are not intended for end-users - they are intended for testing and developing. The expectation is that companies will take the Mozilla code and create products with it. Netscape 6 is an example of this. Serenity Systems could even take the Warpzilla code and produce an eComStation branded browser. So it makes sense for IBM to create an IBM branded browser for our customers. It is certainly not an issue of not wanting our customers to deal with open source. We are making it perfectly clear to them that this browser is built with Mozilla technology.
Q: Are there fixes in the IBM branded browser that are not in Warpzilla?
A: The answer is yes and they fall into two categories.

1. Cross-platform code that we are able to check in to our source control system, but has not been approved to go into Mozilla yet. Examples of this are:
   http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=59855
   http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=58668
2. Code that I have not had a chance to check in to CVS yet. Members of my team are free to check code into our source control system, but only I can check in to Mozilla at this time. I am a little behind with some checkins, including some things from outside contributors. It is important to note that we are legally obligated to make ALL Mozilla code changes available by either publishing them in some way or contributing them to Mozilla.

Q: Is there anything else in the IBM branded browser that is not in Warpzilla?
A: In the same way there are technologies in Netscape 6 that are not in Mozilla, there will be technologies that are in the IBM branded browser that are not in Warpzilla. Examples of this would be the installer and a spellchecker.
Q: What about SSL (security)?
A: Mozilla has made open source SSL available. They are currently in the process of integrating it with the build. When it is fully integrated, we will be putting it in the nightly builds. In the meantime, the Mozilla 0.6 release for OS/2 will contain SSL.
Q: What about the Java plugin?
A: In as much as the Netscape 4.61 for OS/2 Java plugin was a part of Java, a Java plugin for Mozilla based OS/2 browser would be a part of Java.
Q: What about other IBM contributions?
A: We are working on other contributions to Mozilla, independent of our OS/2 work. These include support for bidirectional languages (Hebrew and Arabic) as well as the P3P specification. Finally, I would like to address the more personal issues that have been raised in this newsgroup.
My role as the 'owner' of the Warpzilla port can be equated to the 'owner' of a sports team. While I did not put the entire project together, or write all the code, I now am in the role of 'owning' the code. My role is to advocate OS/2 within the Mozilla community, as well as to act as the reviewer of OS/2 specific code. But, I certainly stand on the shoulders of many people before me who started this whole thing. People like John Fairhurst, Bill Law, and Henry Sobotka, who continues to play an incredibly important role on this team. I have never taken credit away from these people. My new role only exists because of these people. I'd also like to point out that we have a new generation of contributors, IBM and non-IBM. People like Dmitry Kubov, Dainis Jonitis, Jeffrey Kobal, Javier Pedemonte, Jessica Blanco, Sharon Laquinta, Russell Norberg, Aaron Reed, Jeffrey Jones, Skip Nizinski, Hunyh Trinh, Joseph Samake, and more. And that team, including myself, has made significant contributions to the Warpzilla effort, up and above the work that was already done. You can get an idea by looking at this link. This link reflects all the changes that I have checked on behalf of Henry Sobotka, IBM, and others. So to sum up, I have two goals. On the Mozilla side, my goal is to make sure that OS/2 continues as a viable platform for Mozilla and Mozilla-based products. On the IBM side, my goal is to make sure that IBM produces a quality browser product for OS/2 based on Mozilla technologies.
I hope that clears things up.

Michael Kaply
IBM Mozilla Advocate
Mozilla OS/2 Port Owner