ArcaOS 5.1 - First Impressions

[Lars]

Thanks, I had also opened a ticket. Yes, it looks like the thread creation in "fdrForceRefresh" leads to the accumulation of started threads that perform the actual refresh.

The parent method of "wpRefresh" seemingly needs to have the REFRESHINPROGRESS flag not set on entry in order to actually do something so yes, you would need to "lock out" an additional refresh via another means.

[Joop]

Totally frozen, Dutch will be available with version 5.2, but they didn't mentioned which sub version. So I don't know if the hardware will last that long, I'm afraid that this is  some kind of "goodbye". I have to wait at least for another year if not more. Also no translation requests received, so its firmly on the back-burner.[...] So, a lot of promises, with version 5.0 its promised, but no delivery. Not good. I'm not sure if I'm willing to translate with this knowledge.

If there's anyone to blame for this situation, it's your fellow countrymen.

For years I've been looking for a Dutch translator for XWP and haven't found one. For v1.0.14, I had to crowd-source my Dutch translations from people here on os2world. Sadly, they haven't been seen here since the pandemic, so I suspect they're no longer with us. So, who's left? If I can't get someone to translate 20-30 phrases every year or two, how can you expect AN to turn out something far, far larger? It seems unrealistic.

Thanks, found the start of that request with a file. I did respond back then and I was not actively busy with translating. Also I asked for the manual and for some reason it ended there. I can't recall what happened, sorry. I did open the file which was given by you and there is not much in it which can be translated, because a lot of things are the same in Dutch due to English influence in the language. But not all and certainly not a manual. So don't blame me for not responding, I did respond. Also  translating is going totally different than most developers think it will go. Also they sometimes want that you translate in some kind of environment for which you have to  download lot of programs which pollute your own computer and that is just for one program. Another program needs something else and so on. This is the reason I don't  go to translate Libreoffice. They don't have a glue how that's going and are not willing to do it differently. For your information, Libreoffice is far larger then just one program, special there that I have to write a complete almost new manual, not only in Dutch, but also in English!. But then I will be busy for some years and almost daily. And I do it for free (I have already an income), so I want a little more respect and also communication when something is not clear or doesn't work (remind the "Y" in English, which is "J" in Dutch. Often overlooked. Have a nice day, thank you.

[Bernt_Z]

Installed on Elitebook 830 G5 in UEFI mode.
Works fairly well, Good job Arca Noae!

Some issues:
. I was very dissapointed not having a working Wifi. It's ok with desktops, but not with laptops. You shouldn't need to add peripherals for such a common access! Hopefully this is solved in 5.1.1.
- Don't now why, but copying from/to FAT32 USB is so slow compared to Linuxes. Is it beacause these are 64-bit? I doubt it. If someone has an explanation I am happy. Files included. Config.sys renamed to Config.doc.
- The LAN speed is about 1/3 compared to inux, but I can live with it.
- Now I'm struggling with installing some 32 bit Linux, but have tried with both 32-bit and 64-bit EFI boot files. This is beacuse I have a 32 bit Cobol compiler I want to use since old times.

I'm impressed of the efforts in this community! Me myself is a newcomer here but fairly old in using OS/2, Ecomstation and last years AOS.
rgds Bernt Z

[CalYY]

Do you have INETCFG.INI in bootdrive\mptn\etc? If so post it.  I have tripled network speed with some modifcations to system.

[Andi B.]

....- Don't now why, but copying from/to FAT32 USB is so slow compared to Linuxes. Is it beacause these are 64-bit? I doubt it. If someone has an explanation I am happy. Files included. Config.sys renamed to Config.doc.

Our FAT32 driver is notoriously slow. It's not because it is 32 and 16 bit. It's probably cause of some not so good design decisions decades ago. We are happy that it is somehow stable. If you need FAT32 for more than a few small files you've to use another OS.

- The LAN speed is about 1/3 compared to inux, but I can live with it.

How do you measure 'LAN speed'? Usually ftp or other protocols are nearly the same as with every other OS. It is limited by the hardware (100Base-TX, 1000Base-T). Wild guess - you measure speed with SMB shares only, right?

[Bernt_Z]

CalYY - posted the file
Andi B - only accessing a web server, same as with Linux. In AOS I use Firefox. Haven't installed Samba, I don't need it.
Thanks for Your answers, appreciated!!!!

[Bernt_Z]

CalYY - sorry, forgot the file, now ok

[Neil Waldhauer]

At Warpstock this year, we discussed the progress for WiFi support. I don't know Arca Noae plans, but it sounds like it isn't going to be soon.

The problem is too few developers, so if someone reading this feels like implementing WiFi sooner, contact Arca Noae about that. I would be a welcome feature.

[Sigurd Fastenrath]

To be honest, Arca Noae ignores the wishes of private users for years now. Yes, it is OK that they focus on what they like, but from a private foreign customer view the facts are:

- there is no Wi-Fi support (it was "on our list" since 2017, but from year to year it vanished into insignificance today)
- the same goes for "Non" US/English Versions of ArcaOS
- the same goes for participating in the "new" Browser Developement
- the same thing repeats itself now with hobbes archive. One can read well intentioned advice on the ArcaNoae Homepage that doesn't help
- without Paul Smedley tremendous work there won't be a current Sound Driver, not at all.

It's the way it is, there is nothing to cry about either. This is fact.

So I've long since given up hope that any concerns of private users play a role there.

For a Private User there is only one future for OS/2: use it in a Virtual Environment. Use the WLAN, the Bluetooth Drivers and everything else of the Host.

And for this you just need any one OS/2 Version.

And so there is no need for ArcaOS anymore.

Yes, too few developers is a problem, but on the other hand I would state that from a privat customer point of view some wrong priorities have been set over the years.

[Martin Iturbide]

Hi Sigurd.

- there is no Wi-Fi support (it was "on our list" since 2017, but from year to year it vanished into insignificance today)
- the same goes for "Non" US/English Versions of ArcaOS
- the same goes for participating in the "new" Browser Developement
- the same thing repeats itself now with hobbes archive. One can read well intentioned advice on the ArcaNoae Homepage that doesn't help
- without Paul Smedley tremendous work there won't be a current Sound Driver, not at all.

I share your criticism, with the exception of Hobbes Archive. Even that Arca Noae cares about Hobbes, I don't think they should control the "community file repository". Arca Noae as a company may have resources, but they do not have the legal flexibility to host third party files the way a non-profit, University or even a community can.

I agree that we need that Arca Noae focus in the wifi, browser and Sound Driver subjects. Those are key requirements for an operating system.

Regards

[Doug Clark]

Not discounting most of the concerns of Sigurd,  my view of ArcaNoae as a private user is/has been more upbeat. 

While virtualization is certainly a good solution for laptop users who aren't brave/foolish enough to modify their laptop's BIOS  (e.g. to remove whitelist for WiFi adapters), I don't think it is the only future for OS/2 users.  However I did see lots of users with AOS installed in  virtual machines on laptops at Warpstock, 

But the release of EUFI, NVMe and USB3 support shows that virtualization is not the only path forward for OS/2.  It is a path, but not the only one.

ArcaNoae is a business.  I would prefer they stay in business, even if that means making hard decisions on what to work on and not work on based on potential revenue and cost considerations.  I benefit from the things they do release that I need - even if it is not everything I need.  This is just my opinion, but I think it is worth paying for licenses and subscriptions so that ArcaNoae has revenue to stay in business and continue releasing improvements to OS/2.

I was surprised, but pleased, that ArcaNoae released a notice on the impending demise of Hobbes.  I thought the reason was so that people would know what was happening to keep the Hobbes archive working.  OS2voice is the best organization for running Hobbes now - thanks Roderick and all the others for their work on moving Hobbes from NMSU.  And thanks to NMSU for hosting Hobbes for so long.  The OS/2 community appreciates it.

[JTA]

If you look on the ArcaNoae website, they seem to be adamant about supporting ArcaOS on a physical machine *and* in a VM (at least in terms of voicing that support on the webpages). You have a choice, and I hope they continue to support both approaches *equally* into the future:

  - every advancement in device drivers, app dev, plugs a current hole
  - continued Guest Additions dev keeps ArcaOS entirely problem-free

This is an important point, because you can run ArcaOS on a physical box as the primary OS, which does open yourself up to the problems with that approach ... lack of device drivers, applications that aren't quite modern enough, etc. UEFI allows you to multi-boot your way out of this. Or, ...

Run ArcaOS in a VM, with the HostOS providing *everything* that ArcaOS can't, or may not get to until future releases. There are no major device driver problems, no lack of access to modern apps, and so on.

If you go the AToF path of virtualization (shameless plug, see virtualization sub-forum), then you also get x64 app access within ArcaOS, and more.  Everything available at once, no multi-booting.

A (more) modern version of OS/2, and more choices for each on how to run it.

That's progress ... and why OS/2 (ArcaOS 5.1) is still relevant today!