1990 Networking: LAN Manager 2.0
10 months ago
- #LAN-Manager
- #Microsoft
- #OS/2
- Microsoft released LAN Manager (LM) 2.0 in 1990, evolving from earlier networking products like MS-NET.
- LAN Manager 1.0 was an OEM-only product in 1988, with 3Com as a major partner, but Microsoft later bypassed OEMs.
- The exact release date of LAN Manager 2.0 is unclear, with evidence pointing to June 1990 but shipping delays due to OS/2 1.21 dependency.
- LAN Manager 2.0 required OS/2 1.21, which was not directly available to end users, causing distribution challenges.
- Microsoft released multiple updates (CSDs) for LAN Manager 2.0, including versions 2.0a, 2.0b, and 2.0c, each with patches.
- A default admin account with an expired password caused installation issues for early LAN Manager 2.0 users.
- LAN Manager 2.0 had compatibility issues with certain network drivers, like the Western Digital EtherCard driver.
- Pirated copies of LAN Manager 2.0 included debug symbols and other developer-oriented files not meant for end users.
- The debug kernel in MS OS/2 1.21 does not run on modern CPUs due to removed test registers.