Microsoft Corp has decided to restructure OS/2 activities within its Systems Software Division, by combining sales, marketing, and development in a single unit, headed by a new leader. Paul Maritz, who now becomes vice-president of the new Advanced Operating Systems unit, has worked for the Redmond, Washington based company for two-and-a-half years, writes Computer Systems News. He was formerly responsible for network and Unix products within the Systems Software division. Ex-OS/2 marketing manager Alan King now moves to head the newly-formed Workgroup Services Group, while Steve Ballmer, although divested of OS/2 development responsibilities, will continue to oversee the software division as a whole. Microsoft was at pains to deny that dissatisfaction with King or the performance of the marketing department lay behind the move, citing the enormous expansion of the division as the primary cause. Maritz acknowledged that take-up of both OS/2 and Presentation Manager was slow, but insisted there was no panic or change in directions. International Data Corp figures suggest worldwide shipments by Microsoft and IBM together totalled 9.847m for MS-DOS and a mere 65,000 for OS/2, with Microsoft accounting for just 12,000 copies. And Wall Street, the restructuring is being viewed as part of an on-going Microsoft strategy, to build demand for its current 80286 version of OS/2. Analysts also believe that the company is responding to increased competition, particularly from Unix. Maritz pledged continued efforts by the new unit to develop its PM/X version of Presentation Manager designed to run under Unix.
