Rules for Buying New Operating Systems

TrendsLetter Rules for
Buying New Operating Systems

May 1995

Questions from
TrendsLetter Readers

From time to time, we include questions from TrendsLetter subscribers, together with answers from the Editor. Please feel free to submit a question by mail, fax, or EMail.

Several readers have called or written with variations on the following question:

What should we do about the operating systems war in progress? Should we buy OS/2 now, stick with Windows 3.1 or plan to upgrade to Windows 95 as soon as it appears?

The first thing to remember about software is that you can't run vaporware. The creation of complex and sophisticated software -- and a new operating system certainly falls in this category -- is an uncertain process. As our children say, "Things happen."

Or, more to the point, things don't happen. Schedules aren't met; removing identified software bugs creates new ones, so the bug count goes up not down; beta testers and competitive pressures demand new and unplanned functions which cause not just scheduling problems, but cascading problems in user interface design, architecture, and other unanticipated places.

All of this adds up to our first rule, which users should have engraved on brass tablets and hung on the front door (or maybe the door of the IS department): You can't buy and install software until it ships in released (commercial) form; don't plan on it before then. We don't mean you can't have a plan to use that software or move to that platform; you just shouldn't assign time frames because they are so unreliable. If you must get something done now or very soon, plan on doing it with currently shipping resources.

Some readers have wanted us to analyze the technical differences between different environments. Our reaction is usually to say, why stop there? Why not include Unix or NT? What about OS/400 and . . .

Frankly, we don't think once you're in the same ballpark, technical superiority is what wins the ballgame. Obviously, you should compare apples to apples. If you're talking about 32-bit multi-threaded, multi-tasking operating systems (or multi-user relational databases built on object technology or whatever), all the products should be based on similar technology implementations and offer similar results and benefits to users.

TrendsLetter Rules for
Buying New Operating Systems

Don't plan on software until it ships.

Compare apples to apples. All the products should be based on similar technology implementations and offer similar results and benefits.

It’s not just the operating system you’re buying; it’s the whole package – OS, development tools, applications, support. Obviously, new operating systems have less of this than older ones, but make sure what you need is there.

Talk is cheap; testing is smarter. Whatever is important to you deserves evaluation, especially legacy compatibility.

Of course, we’re busy trying out W95. Did you think we could wait?

Comments or Questions: Send Email to opinions@wohl.com

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