The reason why OS never took hold
was because Microsoft stuck it to IBM (remember Gates stating OS/2 was the greatest thing since "sliced bread" - all while Microsoft was secretly developing Windows). Also, IBM had to tread carefully as it was still bound by a consent decree it had signed with the US Justice dept. OS/2 was far ahead of Windows, but Microsoft undercut them (and got away with licensing agreements that would have had the Justice dept. back in court suing IBM). BTW, Windows 2000 turned out to be very OS/2-like.
Also, many banks still use OS/2 - not Windows for certain secure operations.
As far as Lotus Notes, it was developed separately and later bought by IBM after Microsoft Office had been cobbled together from components developed by other companies - not Microsoft.
You haven't a clue as to how S/W is developed by IBM. Their main-frame organization had some of the best programmers in the world at one time. They also had one of the best R&D organizations in the world (and still do). IBM did true innovation, not "buying" others out of their innovative work, tweaking it and putting a Microsoft logo on it.
IBM's biggest problem was its management never fully backed the PC business. It still had it in its head that "big iron" was where it was at. It also was hurt by proprietary PC H/W. Another reason why Microsoft got the foothold - competing companies such as Compaq, HP, etc. could install MS-DOS (and later Windows) on their cloned PCs. Later, Gerstner took over IBM and switched the business to one of services - although they still are in the S/W business and, actually, are a bigger S/W producer than Microsoft.
It is obvious that NS fan-boys know very little about computer and PC history.
