#16 OS/2 Warp – IBM vs Microsoft (1987–2005)
Episode 16 tells the story of OS/2 — an operating system that was meant to be the joint creation of IBM and Microsoft, but ultimately became a symbol of betrayal and IBM’s counterattack. OS/2 Warp defined stability, security, and multitasking on the PC throughout the 1990s, becoming a legend among professionals and enthusiasts. 1. The IBM–Microsoft alliance and the birth of OS/2 (1987) In the mid‑1980s, IBM and Microsoft worked together on a successor to DOS. While Microsoft was quietly investing in Windows, IBM committed to OS/2 — a true 32‑bit system with multitasking and memory protection. OS/2 1.0 (April 1987): The original Presentation Manager running on OS/2 1.1, Fair use 2. The split — Microsoft walks away OS/2 1.21 (1989) was a solid, professional system — but Microsoft abandoned the partnership and focused entirely on Windows 3.0. IBM was left with a technically superior OS, but without Microsoft’s ecosystem and developer support. OS/2 2.0 (May 1992) — a masterpiece: Although OS/2 2.0 sold over 2 million copies, Windows 3.1 dominated the mass market. 3. OS/2 Warp 3 and 4 — the golden age (1994–1996) Warp 3 (1994): Warp 4 (1996): OS/2 Warp 4, Author: Martini 4. OS/2 for PowerPC — the dream that failed IBM invested heavily in PowerPC (like Apple), but OS/2 for PowerPC (1995) was too expensive and had no real audience. It became IBM’s last major attempt at a desktop platform. Unfinished or failed projects included: 5. Comparison: OS/2 vs Windows vs others Feature OS/2 Warp Windows 95 AmigaOS NeXTSTEP Stability ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Multitasking Preemptive Cooperative Preemptive Preemptive DOS compatibility Full Full None None Win16 compatibility Full Native None None GUI Workplace Shell Explorer Workbench Dock Price High Low Medium Very high 6. Legacy and the professional niche OS/2 maintained a strong foothold in: IBM discontinued official support in 2006, but its successor eComStation (and later ArcaOS) is still used today. OS/2 Warp remains proof that technology alone doesn’t win — ecosystem, licensing, and marketing decide the victor.
