(OT)
Nader Weighs In on Microsoft, Calling for the Return of OS/2
s part of a year-old crusade against Microsoft's dominance, the
longtime consumer advocate Ralph Nader has written to the
chairman of International Business Machines, Louis V. Gerstner, to say
he thinks I.B.M. should make public the source code for its moribund
OS/2 operating system.
Nader's reasoning is this: If OS/2 source code were freely available,
developers of application programs would jump at the chance to write
programs to run on OS/2, building a strong alternative to Microsoft and
Windows.
Moreover, Nader said in his letter, I.B.M. should offer OS/2 as a free
option when selling its own computers.
"We were surprised to learn that I.B.M. will not permit consumers to
buy I.B.M. Aptiva computers with I.B.M.'s OS/2 operating system installed," Nader wrote. "The only
way to get OS/2 is to buy a PC with Microsoft Windows 95 installed and then pay an extra $199 for a
shrink-wrapped copy of OS/2, which consumers will have to install themselves."
Windows is so well entrenched on desktop computers that even I.B.M. shifted its strategy toward the
Microsoft product. For a brief period three years ago, I.B.M. offered a feature called Select-a-System,
which allowed customers to choose between OS/2 and Windows when starting up their computers.
The majority chose Windows, and I.B.M. discontinued the program shortly thereafter. OS/2 is now
used almost exclusively as a server operating system in large corporations.
The letter was also signed by Jamie Love, director of the Consumer Project on Technology in
Washington, who said he and Nader had received several letters of support from OS/2 users. But they
have yet to get a response from I.B.M.
Nader said in an interview: "I.B.M. stands for Intimidated by Microsoft. They're doing in their own
product, for heaven's sake. It just shows you the power of Microsoft."
Tara Sexton, an I.B.M. spokeswoman, said Gerstner was traveling and had not yet seen the letter.
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