OS/2 User Group
Asking internet users: would you join an OS/2 user group?
Brunsen, E., "OS/2 User Group", RFC 1501, DOI 10.17487/RFC1501, August 1993, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc1501>.
@misc{rfc1501,
series = {Request for Comments},
number = 1501,
howpublished = {RFC 1501},
publisher = {RFC Editor},
doi = {10.17487/RFC1501},
url = {https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc1501},
author = {E. Brunsen},
title = {{OS/2 User Group}},
pagetotal = 2,
year = 1993,
month = aug,
} RFC text
Contents
Network Working Group E. Brunsen
Request for Comments: 1501 Eastern New Mexico University
August 1993
OS/2 User Group
Status of this Memo
This memo provides information for the Internet community. This memo
does not specify an IAB standard of any kind. Distribution of this
memo is unlimited.
Introduction
This RFC is being distributed to members of the Internet community in
order to solicit their reactions to the proposals contained in it.
While the issues discussed may not be directly relevant to the
research problems of the Internet, they may be interesting to a
number of researchers and implementers.
There is a group called The Phoenix Group which is in the process of
determining the need for a national OS/2 users' group. This group is
targeted for the *individual* user of OS/2, and is designed to
provide an effective vehicle through which users can communicate
their desires for OS/2 to IBM. If you work in the corporate
Information Technology world, you are no doubt familiar with
organizations such as SHARE, GUIDE, COMMON and DECIUS, among many.
These organizations serve as a focal point for users, and represent a
combined voice to IBM (SHARE, GUIDE and COMMON) and Digital Equipment
Company (DECIUS). The intent of these organizations is to work
closely with their respective hardware/software providers to
influence their direction of their products, be they operating
systems or CPU's.
To this end, many of us in other electronic fora believe that there
is no representative voice for the end-user of OS/2 with IBM. Thus,
The Phoenix Group, is taking a straw poll of OS/2 users in many
different electronic fora to determine the need for, and membership
potential for such an organization. The founding council of The
Phoenix Group consists of the following individuals:
Mike Andrews, Eric Brunsen, Max Eidswick, Robin Frank,
Stan Hawkins, Jack Hiatt, Bob Holmes, Wayne Holmes,
John Schaeffer, and Toby Pennycuff
You may recognize some of the names in this group, and you may not.
However, we are all long-time users of OS/2, and all believe that
such an organization is an absolute necessity. We would like to get
some gauge of how many people would be willing to become a part of
such an organization.
If we receive a strong response, we are prepared to approach IBM
PSP's senior management regarding our proposal, and work with them to
formulate an organization which meets both parties' best interests.
If you would have an interest in joining such a group, please send a
note to the following address on the Internet with your name and
address:
Z2934@AA1PROFS.IBMMAIL.COM
or
BRUNSENE@EMAIL.ENMU.EDU
We will compile a database of respondees, and will keep everyone
notified of our progress electronically. We all look forward to your
comments and suggestions.
Security Considerations
Security issues are not discussed in this memo.
Author's Address
Eric Brunsen
Eastern New Mexico University
Station 15
Portales, NM 88130
Phone: (505) 562-2694
Fax: (505) 562-2349
EMail: BRUNSENE@EMAIL.ENMU.EDU
AI ELI5
On this page
§1The Need for a User Voice
Corporate IT organizations like SHARE, GUIDE, and COMMON had long represented mainframe users to IBM, but individual OS/2 users had no equivalent organization. The RFC notes that users of Digital Equipment Company systems had DECIUS for representation, but OS/2 lacked a comparable advocacy group with a unified voice to influence IBM's product direction.
Big companies have clubs to talk to IBM, but regular people using OS/2 computers do not.
§2The Founding Council
The Phoenix Group consisted of ten long-time OS/2 users: Mike Andrews, Eric Brunsen, Max Eidswick, Robin Frank, Stan Hawkins, Jack Hiatt, Bob Holmes, Wayne Holmes, John Schaeffer, and Toby Pennycuff. They believed such an organization was an absolute necessity and were prepared to approach IBM's PSP (Personal Systems Products) senior management if sufficient interest existed.
A group of ten people who really like OS/2 started a project to create a user club.
§3Measuring Interest
The RFC asked recipients to send their name and address to either Z2934@AA1PROFS.IBMMAIL.COM or BRUNSENE@EMAIL.ENMU.EDU. The founders promised to compile a database of responses and keep respondents notified of progress electronically. The goal was to demonstrate to IBM that enough individual users wanted a unified organization that the company should support its creation.
The group asked people to say whether they wanted to join, and said they would tell everyone what happened.