Author Topic: Significant kernel changes  (Read 6382 times)

RickCHodgin

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Significant kernel changes
« on: November 26, 2017, 08:51:32 pm »
Does anybody have a link to notable kernel revisions and extensions over OS/2's lifetime?  New features added in which version, new APIs, changes to existing APIs in various releases, etc.?

I'm trying to get a feel for where IBM/Microsoft were headed initially, and what paths they went down to reverse, and what changes they made, and what parts were part of long-term goals, etc.  I want to understand their "philosophy of OS/2" and then extend that forward.

Thank you in advance.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2017, 08:58:32 pm by Rick C. Hodgin »

RickCHodgin

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2017, 10:34:14 am »
In the alternative, does anybody have links to where I could obtain OS/2 releases from 1.x on up?  I could document each DLL and watch the evolution of internal design over time.

Real floppy disks or downloadable floppy disk images will work.  I could create multiple virtual machines and extract out pertinent parts to a common directory tree.

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2017, 12:35:50 pm »
Hi Rick.

I think this may be hard to get since the level of detail that you may need may not be documented in a public way. Maybe something that can give you some hint will be the list of fixes on every fixpack of OS/2 according to its version. But it is not something complete.

For example.
- Warp 4.52 - Fixpack 6 list of fixes. (XR_C006)
- Warp 4 - Fixpack 7 list of fixes. (XR_M017)
- Warp 3 - Fixpack 44

But it only gives you an idea of what was fixed and not what was improved.

If you plan to document changed on the DLL's let me know so we can also put that documentation on EDM/2. For the moment on the EDM/2 I focus only on the latest version of the DLL's, but there are some "Legacy" functions also documented.

Regards
« Last Edit: November 27, 2017, 12:53:03 pm by Martin Iturbide »
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RickCHodgin

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2017, 02:50:56 pm »
If you plan to document changed on the DLL's let me know so we can also put that documentation on EDM/2.

Will do.  My goal is to get a comprehensive view of what the kernel looked like in 1.x, 2.x, and on up.  I want to see where they were going, what they originally planned but changed later, and any hints they have of the future direction.

I plan to put together a complete picture of each kernel, as is visible through its public API at least.  I'll probably create a video for YouTube describing the various aspects, which will be for my own documentation as well.

If anyone knows where I can buy or be given OS/2 copies from 1.x on up, I'd like to receive those products and begin this process.  I have my own 4.0 copy, and I've been able to download the 4.52 version.  I do not have anything from 3.x or earlier any longer.  I pitched them a few years ago thinking to myself, "I'll never need these again," and I didn't want to be a pack-rat.  LOL

RickCHodgin

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2017, 07:36:14 pm »
I have been able to purchase OS/2 2.0 and 3.0 online.  That gives me 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 4.52.

If anyone knows where I can get OS/2 1.x I would consider that a good starting point.

UPDATE:  Is it legal to download these 1.x OS/2 versions?
« Last Edit: November 27, 2017, 07:42:48 pm by Rick C. Hodgin »

ak120

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2017, 08:33:52 pm »
I have been able to purchase OS/2 2.0 and 3.0 online.  That gives me 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 4.52.
Why you make it so complicated. Debug kernels are still available here:
ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/debug/
Some changes for later kernel improvements in the README files of:
ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/update-kernels/

Quote
If anyone knows where I can get OS/2 1.x I would consider that a good starting point.
From your IBM dealer as long still stocked. Or you're looking for specific OEM versions?
With a valid OS/2 EE 1.3 licence it's legal to download the latest ServicePak:
ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/v1.30/wr05200/

Sorry I have only European IBM OS/2 V1.x product packages here, so I cannot talk about American stuff.

RickCHodgin

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2017, 08:49:54 pm »
Why you make it so complicated. Debug kernels are still available here:
ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/debug/
Some changes for later kernel improvements in the README files of:
ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/fixes/update-kernels/

It's not just kernels I'm looking at, but the many system DLLs as well.  I'm also unable to decompile or debug kernels because it's illegal.  I can only use publicly available tools and information to access publicly available information through those tools.

I'm hoping to get a license to be able to enter OS/2 code with binary examination, but until I get that license I'm limited in what I can do.

RickCHodgin

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Re: Significant kernel changes
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2017, 02:06:07 pm »
I may have access to a 1.x install.  An online friend of mine is going to check his archive.  He thinks he might have an OS/2 1.x version somewhere.  If so, he'll get it to me.

Am still looking for other 1.x versions.  Microsoft worked on OS/2 1.0 to 1.2, so it would be interesting to see that progression (1.0 to 1.2), and then the changes made afterward (1.2 to 1.3, and then 2.0 and after).