Tech Tales

Microsoft and IBM fought over the future of OS/2, leading up to the release of Windows 95. Even after IBM admitted defeat, the OS/2 Warp 4 update arrived for the platform's remaining fans.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Cody Toombs.

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Sources:

• https://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/28/business/ibm-plans-to-consolidate-os-2-development-in-texas.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/08/science/personal-computers-os-2-no-longer-at-home-at-home.html

• http://www.albion.com/microsoft/findings-23.html

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-warp-4/

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-timeline/

• https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/25/business/ibm-introducing-merlin-its-latest-os-2-software.html

• https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/ibm-to-bury-os2/

• http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9909/23/os2.death.knell.idg/index.html

Dong Nguyen released Flappy Bird for the iPhone in May 2013, and a few months later, it became the #1 mobile game across the world. However, Nguyen was soon faced with never-ending harassment over the game's difficulty and addictive qualities, while hundreds of Flappy Bird clones flooded Apple and Google's app stores.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Jacob Westall.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

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Videos:

• https://youtu.be/rShFlizi_TE

Sources:

• https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/the-flight-of-the-birdman-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-speaks-out-112457/

• https://kotaku.com/flappy-bird-is-making-50-000-a-day-off-ripped-art-1517498140

• https://kotaku.com/the-flappy-bird-fiasco-1519938266

• https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sesame-street-takes-on-flappy-bird-with-flappy-bert/1100-6417699/

• https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fall-out-boy-to-release-their-own-flappy-bird-game/1100-6417680/

• https://techcrunch.com/2014/02/15/apple-google-begin-rejecting-games-with-flappy-in-the-title/

• https://www.wired.com/2014/03/flappy-bird-clones/

• https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/flappy-bird-returns-yet-only-on-amazon-fire-tv/

• https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-ebay-99900-iphone-flappy-bird-20140210-story.html

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/lananhnguyen/2014/02/11/exclusive-flappy-bird-creator-dong-nguyen-says-app-gone-forever-because-it-was-an-addictive-product/

IBM started work in 1991 on Workplace OS, an operating system that would run other operating systems. It was planned as a showcase for the PowerPC architecture, and the solution to IBM's multi-system woes. Workplace OS proved to be a massive technical challenge, and it was only ever released as OS/2 PowerPC Edition.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Cody Toombs.

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Sources:

• https://archive.org/details/WorkplaceMicrokernelAndOSACaseStudy

• https://archive.org/details/TheFailureOfPersonalitiesToGeneralize

• https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1993/11/15/78601/index.htm

• http://www.verycomputer.com/3_1a42d37319220ea0_1.htm

• https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1995/06/20/new-pcs-will-mix-ibm-mac-software/

• https://www.cnet.com/news/ibm-likely-to-quit-mac-os-licensing/

• https://books.google.com/books?id=zj4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&dq=OS/2+for+PowerPC#v=onepage&q=OS%2F2%20for%20PowerPC&f=false

• http://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-for-powerpc-tidbits/

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/OS2-PPC-Overview.pdf

• https://srl.cs.jhu.edu/courses/600.439/ExperienceMicrokernelBasedOS.pdf

IBM and Microsoft worked together to create OS/2, a next-generation operating system, but the future of OS/2 was left in IBM's hands after Microsoft left the project. Faced with marketing troubles and increasing competition from Microsoft Windows, IBM pushed forward with OS/2 2.0 and OS/2 3.0 Warp.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Cody Toombs.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

Follow on Mastodon/Fediverse: https://mas.to/@techtales

Support the Show: https://techtalesshow.com/support

Videos:

• https://youtu.be/6v_vUkkYq7A

• https://youtu.be/mmxabyk0S2M?t=411

Sources:

• https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/26/business/company-news-microsoft-resolves-dispute-over-ibm-os-2-software.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/27/business/microsoft-widens-its-split-with-ibm-over-software.html

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-2-0/

• https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/13/business/company-news-ibm-has-sold-1-million-of-new-os-2-operating-system.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1992/04/26/business/the-executive-computer-side-by-side-how-the-new-os-2-and-windows-stack-up.html

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1992/04/13/new-versions-of-os2-windows-add-muscle-to-operating-systems/48580f65-aee3-4a88-a7e5-fd9fe9ea7e1b/

• https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1993/05/10/os2s-success-failure-tale/e60180ea-30da-4084-8ce6-d965edc9005d/

• https://web.archive.org/web/20130127185712/http://www.insearchofstupidity.com/ch6.htm

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-warp/

• https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1993/11/15/78601/index.htm

• https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/24/business/for-ibm-faithful-questions-about-windows-95.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/01/business/ibm-chief-concedes-os-2-has-lost-desktop-war.html

IBM and Microsoft teamed up in the 1980s to create the PC operating system of the future, called OS/2. It was designed as a modern software platform with excellent backwards compatibility, and was even intended to replace Microsoft Windows. However, PC owners were slow to upgrade, and the growing success of Windows made Microsoft think twice about the future of OS/2.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Cody Toombs.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

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Support the Show: https://techtalesshow.com/support

Sources:

• https://www.tech-insider.org/personal-computers/research/acrobat/871126.pdf

• https://web.archive.org/web/20100410013835/http://pages.prodigy.net/michaln/history/pr/87apr_m3592.html

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-1-0/

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-1-1/

• https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/06/business/the-executive-computer-godot-had-nothing-on-ibm-s-os-2.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/20/business/the-executive-computer-facing-tough-choices-about-os-2.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/23/business/new-microsoft-item-gains-strong-backing.html

• https://www.os2museum.com/wp/os2-history/os2-1-2-and-1-3/

• https://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/14/business/ibm-and-microsoft-promote-os-2.html

• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-30-fi-96-story.html

• https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19920405&slug=1484776

VisiCalc was the first spreadsheet computer application, released in 1979 and created by two developers in an attic. The tool quickly became the must-have program for the Apple II computer, but it didn't take long for VisiCalc's publisher and developers to fight over its success.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Joe Fedewa.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

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Support the Show: https://techtalesshow.com/support

Sources:

• https://books.google.com/books?id=9gIPuja3CoEC&pg=PA62#v=onepage&q&f=false

• https://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2017/06/102738286-05-01-acc.pdf

• http://www.bricklin.com/history/sai.htm

• https://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/18/business/visicalc-lawsuit-is-settled.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/26/business/how-a-software-winner-went-sour.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/09/business/copyright-suit-fights-lotus-1-2-3.html

• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-03-07-fi-245-story.html

Moonbase Alpha was a video game released in 2010, developed by a handful of game studios in partnership with NASA, which placed you in a damaged future moonbase in need of repair. The game is best known for its brief status as a meme, thanks to the text-to-speech functionality, but its story didn't end there.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Jules Wang.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

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Videos:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv6RbEOlqRo

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNPKXfb3rws

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNtKdd9g6h0

Sources:

• https://www.virtualheroes.com/portfolio/military/america-s-army/

• https://web.archive.org/web/20120303072706/http://www.virtualheroes.com/products.asp

• https://web.archive.org/web/20070205135614/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-10-30-serious-skills_x.htm

• http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=27803

• https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/star-rangers-hq/astronaut-moon-mars-and-beyond-the-nasa-mmo-online-0

• https://store.steampowered.com/app/333340/Star_Rangers_XE/

• https://sservi.nasa.gov/articles/moonbase-alpha/

• https://www.virtualheroes.com/portfolio/education/mission-moonbase/

• https://web.archive.org/web/20181116000755/http://www.gameplanet.co.nz/pc/games/162879.Moonbase-Alpha/reviews/135241.Moonbase-Alpha/

• https://www.commonsense.org/education/game/moonbase-alpha

• https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/a6398/why-nasas-new-video-game-completely-misses-the-point/

• https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/virtualheroes/moonbase-alpha-2-use-gaming-to-teach-science-and-t

In 1999, Apple finally had everything it needed to revitalize the Macintosh. It had a nearly-completed modern operating system, it had Steve Jobs as interim CEO, and it had developers promising to build apps for the new platform. Now all Apple had to do was release the Mac OS update that had been in development since the late 80's and hope for the best.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Cody Toombs.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

Follow on Mastodon/Fediverse: https://mas.to/@techtales

Support the Show: https://techtalesshow.com/support

Sources:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88aD5RGaBF8

• https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2000/01/05Apple-Unveils-Mac-OS-X/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGzCIlz8y0

• https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-peels-open-mac-os-x-beta/

• https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/12/18/mac-os-x-beta-not-worth-installing-for-most-users/

• https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2001/03/21Mac-OS-X-Hits-Stores-This-Weekend/

• https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2001/09/25First-Major-Upgrade-to-Mac-OS-X-Hits-Stores-This-Weekend/

• https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2002/01/07Apple-Makes-Mac-OS-X-the-Default-Operating-System-on-All-Macs/

• https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2001/04/macos-x/17/

• https://www.macworld.com/article/151932/macosxserver.html

• https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2001/10/macosx-10-1/13/

• https://www.macworld.com/article/199938/osx-10-1.html

• https://web.archive.org/web/20090113042103/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2001/nov01/11-19retailpr.mspx

The GM EV-1 was the first electric car produced by a major auto company when it rolled off production lines in 1996. Even though the car gained a dedicated fan base (dedicated enough to produce unauthorized radio ads) and higher-than-expected demand from drivers, only a few thousand EV-1 cars were produced.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Joe Fedewa.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

Follow on Mastodon/Fediverse: https://mas.to/@techtales

Support the Show: https://techtalesshow.com/support

Sources:

• https://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/04/business/gm-displays-the-impact-an-advanced-electric-car.html

• https://escholarship.org/content/qt9pd8m8gs/qt9pd8m8gs_noSplash_6aad112bf59ee0a695d7344956234ff4.pdf

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk6YA9cCdtA

• https://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/28/business/expecting-a-fizzle-gm-puts-electric-car-to-test.html

• https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/anything-goes-throwback-thursday/throwback-thursday-1996-general-motors-ev1-first-drive

• https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a32944084/tested-1997-general-motors-ev1-proves-to-be-the-start-of-something-big/

• https://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/26/us/california-is-backing-off-mandate-for-electric-car.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/05/us/gm-in-a-first-will-sell-a-car-designed-for-electric-power-thisfall.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/06/us/with-no-tailpipe-but-much-fanfare-a-new-car-arrives.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/07/business/gm-is-trying-to-make-a-go-of-its-electric-car.html

• https://web.archive.org/web/20210308040842/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-may-22-fi-52566-story.html

• https://www.eanet.com/ev1-club/clubads.htm

• https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/18/automobiles/gm-tries-to-increase-appeal-of-electric-car.html

• https://web.archive.org/web/20190618225555/https://www.salon.com/2002/09/04/woe_to_ev1/

• https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/24/us/general-motors-sues-california-over-quota-for-electric-car-sales.html

• https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/22/automobiles/california-motor-city-leased-and-abandoned-revolt-of-the-ev-1-lovers.html

• https://www.thedrive.com/news/38743/theres-a-pristine-gm-ev1-saved-by-a-secretive-caretaker-in-the-depths-of-a-university

• https://imgur.com/chb4Cye

• https://web.archive.org/web/20140812212752/http://www.seattleeva.org/wiki/GM_EV1_WWU_Resurrection

Photo credit: http://www.jackhardingsbook.com/ev1

Following its purchase of NeXT Inc in 1996, Apple started work on a modern operating system for the Macintosh based on NeXT's impressive software. However, software developers didn't want to rewrite their apps from scratch for the new system, and the finished product ended up only being a stepping stone to the final Mac OS X release.

Hosted by Corbin Davenport, guest starring Cody Toombs.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechTalesShow

Follow on Mastodon/Fediverse: https://mas.to/@techtales

Support the Show: https://techtalesshow.com/support

Sources:

• “On the Firing Line: My 500 Days at Apple” by Gil Amelio and William L Simon

• https://web.archive.org/web/19990116231607/http://product.info.apple.com/pr/press.releases/1997/q2/970107.pr.rel.macos.html

• https://books.google.com/books?id=9zsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA15&dq=%22apple%22+%22Rhapsody%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj51v-opozxAhURH80KHeenBL0Q6AEwAnoECAMQAg#v=onepage&q=%22apple%22%20%22Rhapsody%22&f=false

• https://books.google.com/books?id=IKbZ7dEVokwC&pg=PT115&dq=%22apple%22+%22Rhapsody%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj51v-opozxAhURH80KHeenBL0Q6AEwBHoECAwQAg#v=onepage&q=%22apple%22%20%22Rhapsody%22&f=false

• https://money.cnn.com/1997/03/27/technology/apple/

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByXov_jO_OM

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdYiqVzPjAc

• https://wiki.preterhuman.net/Mac_OS_X_Server

• http://toastytech.com/guis/osxsv.html