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Brainstorm: What is Next with OS/2 ?

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Eugene Gorbunoff:
1) Seems that web-browser is 100% priority. The users understood this several years ago. Os2.de forum was discussing too .

2) the second main question:
How to use os/2 today?
How to use it to earn money?
So new people will spend money to it, invest into new apps.

JTA:
All the solutions I listed are tools in the toolbox ... pull them out and use them, or leave them in the toolbox and run os/2 native on a platform. It's everyone's choice; we can't tell anyone what they can or can't do. Unfortunately, there are little to no os/2 tools in that toolbox, for many reasons that are very resistant to change.

If you want to solve existing problems, start pulling out all the other tools and start using them ...

- We can harness the power of other OS's to do work for us under os/2. The HostOS concept does all the heavy lifting in utilizing full resources of a laptop/desktop, but it doesn't have to be seen if you don't want it to ... boot straight into os/2's desktop vm. It feels native, yet you get at all the things that keep many from wanting to use os/2 natively. That is a powerful tool ...

- the dev uses of multiple vm's are compelling ... many of the resources of powerful desktop/laptops sit idle, but with one vm dev'ing, and another hosting the os/2 desktop, you are running "thrusters on full". There are tools to split the dev load among multiple compilers ... this might be applicable to os/2 compiling. Things I haven't even thought of, but might be possible ...

- there are flat out "no device driver" problem, no "browser" problems, no problems of any kind ... because you booted straight into the os/2 desktop vm, and it all just works.

What might be needed, to prove this concept to others, is the ability to produce a USB LiveCD stick of this entire AToF concept. Boot a machine, and show all of these things running. Linux "live cd" versions abound. One problem I'm working to overcome is the IBM/ArcaOS constraint of "IBM doesn't allow ..." demo licenses and such, and ArcaOS custom-stamps ownership into each os distro. This needs to be resolved, but I can't resolve it myself. So, I have some methods to chase down, and hopefully they'll bear fruit ... in the meantime, it's super easy to build the AToF concept, but perhaps a livecd would be even easier for many.

The point of all of this is that there are options now, and these don't require massive funding, waiting for years for the slightest little thing to change, and so on ... use these options if you want, or choose not to use them. It's all good as far as one person chooses. But, if more can see that there are viable options (more tools in the toolbox), why not try them?

Again, progress on all fronts ...

Klafi:
What would need to be changed in ARCAOS to have a modern network?

**ChatGPT Response:**
To implement or improve a modern network in ArcaOS, several changes and enhancements would be necessary, as ArcaOS (a development of OS/2) has a more limited network architecture compared to modern operating systems like Windows or Linux. Here are some key changes that would need to be made:

1. **Updating the Network Stack Software**:
   - **TCP/IP Stack**: ArcaOS uses the "IBM TCP/IP for OS/2" stack, which has not been maintained for a long time. Updating or switching to a more modern network stack (e.g., `inetd` or an open-source project) could improve network performance and compatibility.
   - **IPv6 Support**: The current TCP/IP stack in ArcaOS only supports IPv4. To support modern networks, IPv6 would need to be implemented or at least complemented with a compatible IPv6 stack.

2. **Extending Network Protocols**:
   - **Modern Protocols**: Support for current protocols such as HTTP/2, HTTPS, FTP/FTPS, WebSocket, and other common network protocols should be added to ensure interoperability with modern web services.
   - **SMBv2 and SMBv3**: The current network file system protocol, SMB (Server Message Block), is outdated and uses SMBv1, which is increasingly blocked in modern networks. Implementing SMBv2 or SMBv3 would be necessary to remain compatible with modern Windows and Linux servers.

3. **Driver Updates**:
   - **Network Card Drivers**: Support for modern network cards (e.g., Gigabit or 10-Gigabit Ethernet) would need to be added, or existing drivers would need to be updated. Many modern network cards are not directly compatible with ArcaOS, so specific drivers would need to be developed or updated.
   - **Wi-Fi Support**: ArcaOS has limited support for Wi-Fi. The development and integration of modern Wi-Fi drivers for common chipsets (e.g., Broadcom, Intel, Realtek) and support for Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) could expand the network capabilities.

4. **Firewall and Security**:
   - **Firewall**: A modern firewall capable of monitoring and controlling traffic based on current security standards would need to be developed or integrated.
   - **Encryption**: Support for modern encryption protocols such as TLS 1.2 and 1.3 for web communication and VPN services (e.g., OpenVPN) should be enhanced to ensure secure communication.

5. **Integration of Modern Network Services**:
   - **DHCP and DNS**: Support for DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) for automatic IP address assignment and advanced DNS services would need to be integrated or improved.
   - **NAT and VPN**: Support for Network Address Translation (NAT) and VPN protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard could enable ArcaOS to securely communicate in modern networks.

6. **Updating the User Interface**:
   - **Network Management**: A modernized user interface for network management (e.g., for configuring IP addresses, DNS, Wi-Fi, VPN) could improve the usability of ArcaOS and bring it on par with other operating systems.

7. **Software Compatibility**:
   - **Modern Applications**: Many modern applications and services rely on the latest network standards. Compatibility with these applications requires significant improvements in the network protocols and interfaces in ArcaOS.

**Summary**:
To equip ArcaOS with a modern network, extensive changes would be needed, both at the network stack software level and in terms of drivers and security protocols. While some of these changes could be addressed with new software solutions and drivers, it remains a long-term project, as ArcaOS was not originally designed for use in modern network environments.

**I don't know if all of this will be achieved, but I thank you.**

Eugene Gorbunoff:
Let's ask ChatGPT rewrite the code of OS/2 kernel.

Paul Smedley:

--- Quote from: Klafi on March 21, 2025, 10:13:54 pm ---What would need to be changed in ARCAOS to have a modern network?

**ChatGPT Response:**
   - **SMBv2 and SMBv3**: The current network file system protocol, SMB (Server Message Block), is outdated and uses SMBv1, which is increasingly blocked in modern networks. Implementing SMBv2 or SMBv3 would be necessary to remain compatible with modern Windows and Linux servers.

--- End quote ---
This part at least is incorrect. ArcaOS has some some time (since 5.0?) included a Samba plugin that supports smb2+

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