CST(22)-Client OS

Smaller of todays client platforms belong to Microsoft. The only other competition on the desktop comes from OS/2 Warp connect and the Mac OS. Java OS may become a formidable competitor in the area of Internet PCs and embedded clients. For client/server computing to unleas its potential we must move to 32 bit client platforms with full multithreaded support, robust memory management and preemptive multitasking. Unix is also tough to administer. This leaves us with four client contenders: OS/2 Warp Connect, Windows 95, Windows NT Workstation and Mac OS.

OS/2 Warp Connect:

1. It is a robust and proven 32 bit client OS.
2. Its advanced OOUI, preemptive multitasking and page-based virtual memory are ideal for multimedia –intensive client applications.
3. Warp Connect is network ready; it includes a complete TCP/IP stack, NetBEUI, IPX/SPX and an IP router.
4. It is also laptop friendly – it supports plug-and-play and provides advanced power management. OS/2 runs Dos and Windows 3.X applications seamlessly in a protected-mode environment.
5. Merin, a new version of Warp Connect provides enhanced user interface, extended plug-and-play, openDoc support, a Java runtime, built-in security, and advanced voice recognition.

Cons:

1. It suffers from a poor market image. Much of it is self-governed by IBM. The company as a whole is not aligning itself behind OS/2 as Microsoft is 100 % behind Windows. The market is confused by the conflicting messages it receives from the different IBM divisions. Despite all these, OS/2 has a very loyal customer base, especially within corporations and in Europe.
2. OS/2 does not have as many native applications as Windows and it does not support 32 bit Windows 95 applications.

Windows 95:

1.  Its an entry level desktop OS that provides OOUI like user interface, plug-and-play and convenient hardware auto discovery features.
2.  It also provides networking features such as network neighborhoods, remote registry editor and built in SNMP agent.
3.  It is also network ready and comes with a minimal TCP/IP stack, NetBEUI, IPX/SPX and PPP.

Cons:

1. Windows 95 OOUI is inconsistent. It mixes the OOUI and GUI paradigms which can be quite confusing.
2. It is still built on DOS that is 16 bit applications have no crash protection and have limited multitasking.
3. It does not appear robust enough for the corporate client market.

Windows NT Workstation:

1. It is a robust 32 bit client OS. It supports preemptive multitasking, multithreading, memory protection and a transactional file system.
2. It is network ready; it supports TCP/IP, NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, PPP and AppleTalk.
3. It has very few upper limits and it provides C2 level security.
4. NT 4.0 provides OOUI and it is the first Microsoft platform to support Network OLE.

Cons:

1. NT is a resource hog. It requires a minimum of 16 MB RAM and 512 MB disk space.
2. Compared to Windows 95 and OS/2 Warp, NTs support for laptop is poor.
3. NT provides poor emulation of DOS and 16-bit windows applications.
4. It does not support plug-and-play, which makes it harder to configure.
5. NT Workstation is an expensive client platform.

Because of all these limitations, NT workstation does not get the same level of ISV support as the rest of the windows platforms.

Mac OS:

1. Mac is a key player on the desktop. Mac users have a disproportionate presence on the web, accounting for 20% of the web client application.
2. Apple views the web as the key software and hardware initiative. The idea is to extend the Macs friendliness to the web. Mac can then become the client platform of choice for Internet and Intranet.
3. Apple’s secret weapon to win the client is called cyberdog, which is an openDoc suite for the Internet.

Cons:

1. Mac OS is not a very good server platform, not even a good advanced client platform.
2. It does not scale well and has limited multithreading.