Author Topic: AToF - platform for dev (build, licensing, etc.)  (Read 3710 times)

JTA

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 62
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
AToF - platform for dev (build, licensing, etc.)
« on: December 05, 2023, 06:55:29 pm »
Just so folks understand that, if I say AToF (ArcaOS - Thrusters on Full), it's a DT/LT that's been modified away from AOS x32 as HostOS, to AOS(n copies) running under another x64 HostOS.

In building up my own OS/2 dev skills, I can't stand putting massive packages into my "daily driver" (office/apps) OS, as it just seems to complicate everything. So, by using an AToF system, one ArcaOS VM holds the simple daily driver stuff, and another (or 2, or 3) holds the build environment. I want to:

  - do device driver (using David A.'s DD kit), as I want to build utilities that reach down into the kernel for info
  - GCC dev, to understand this method (as opposed to Watcom)

Where I think this is going is to have an AToF platform with upwards of 3 or 4 ArcaOS vm's:
  - VM-1: w-dev work; watcom/toolkit/ddkit build ... this is done, and I can compile apps with watcom; still reading through massive amounts of DD docs
  - VM-2: w-dev testing; so as to not affect the dev build, running right next door
  - VM-3: g-dev work: gcc 12.x, QT5 ... goal is to build QT5BASE from scratch; later, build QT6; get familier with the toolchain; Paul S. (at warpstock) indicates some builds take 30 hours ... I wonder what tools can be applied to this problem?
  - VM-4: g-dev testing: again, to not mess with the dev environment

It's easy to run all these VM's, and backup is just shutting the VM down, and throwing a copy onto the Synology NAS box on the home network. I have a similar couple of VM's for MS Visual Studio 20xx, running alongside the OS/2 vm's. The platform barely notices ...

All these AOS vm's need to be "licensed". I have two AOS licenses now, and even that is a bit messy, as one is at 5.08, and the other at 5.1 (they both need to be 5.1); can't figure out how to turn the 5.08 into a 5.1 in the most inexpensive path.

I wonder if ArcaOS can produce a version of the OS (for VM's, so needs Guest Additions) that doesn't have anything but the core elements of OS/2 in it? No ANPM, no "office" software, games, etc. From this starting point, I can put whatever I want on it, and turn it into the above VM's for dev work.

Otherwise, I'll need to buy upwards of 4 full licenses of AOS. Not necessarily a problem, and can do it piecemeal, but buying a $65 dev OS (or whatever it takes to pay IBM their piece, plus AN's effort) might come out to way less than a $130 license.

Forging on ...

« Last Edit: December 05, 2023, 08:46:55 pm by JTA »