IBM Puts Down OS/2

Once valiant challenger to Microsoft Windows loses struggle for life as Big Blue announces plans to discontinue marketing and general support.

“He was a good operating system, though he never really lived up to his full potential.” Such are the words which could be part of a eulogy said for IBM’s OS/2 operating system which News.com mentioned, and an IBM web page confirms, is dead.

The specific dates on IBM’s news item indicate that effective Dec. 23 of this year Big Blue will stop marketing OS/2. As for support, unless you have a “fee-based service offering” (read: contract), you’ll be out of luck as the lights get turned off in the support center Dec. 31, 2006.

IBM also said there are no plans for new versions/releases or functions for any of the OS/2 products. There will also be no new fix packs or component refreshes.

RIP OS/2.