CompuServe Messages

The OS/2 arguments resurface… I use OS/2 Warp when I am rendering; primarily so I can do things like eMail without interrupting my render jobs. And if you haven't seen Windows 95 yet, then be prepared to use an interface that is almost identical to Warp. Now, whether or not Autodesk would be wise to make r5 compatible with OS/2 is an interesting question. You were absolutely right about the software giants; they fall from existance on a decade-by-decade basis; but what company has never so much as stumbled? Yep, Microsoft. Besides Microsoft and Novell, everyone else has felt the crunch at one time or another. Microsoft might have had some growing pains, but they were a long time ago. As for r5 being cross-platform; why? AutoCAD used to be supported on all kinds of platforms, but I don't think the RS6000 version was what kept Autodesk in business. It has been, since the early 1980's, the DOS versions of software that make the industry go around (Windows is still a DOS program to me!). And who wrote DOS? Microsoft. Windows has been the standard for about four years now. OS/2 may be more powerful (and I certainly prefer it), but I have to use Windows if I want to or not. So what does this have to do with Windows NT? It's simple. Why should Autodesk spend the money to make a product for a very small market (OS/2)? Most of us use 3D Studio as a primary (or in my case, secondary) form of income. If Autodesk came out with r5 and it only ran on PCs with SCO Unix, I would have to switch operating systems. Would I care? A little bit, because I would have to run Windows through SCO, but I don't make money using my Windows programs. I make money with 3D Studio. And if it runs in Windows NT, so be it. I'll switch to it like I switched to OS/2. Whatever works best will enhance my business. My first concern is to have a rock-solid, high-speed modeling system; the operating system it requires is not a top priority.