Messages

31

Hardware / Re: Modern Motherboards - Whats working

« on: May 25, 2024, 04:53:30 pm »

Hi

I documented some reported working mainboards on the OS2World wiki, right here:
- https://www.os2world.com/wiki/index.php?title=List_of_Motherboards

But I don't think they have PS2 ports anymore.

Regards

PS/2 ports are on most modern systems dead as doornail. Maybe industrial mainboards (that are sometimes pretty expensive), still tend to have PS/2 ports.
The more modern systems the 8042 PS/2 controller is also going away from the mainboards.

Roderick

32

General Discussion / Re: Chuck McKinnis Passed Away

« on: May 20, 2024, 10:23:02 pm »

Sorry to hear this Martin - Chuck was a big booster of OS/2. Thanks for letting us know.

Regards,

I remember him being always polite, helpful and willingful, even in the last days when the kernel development was actually shut down.
He just went and fixed things. Always present at comp.os.os2.*.

A huge loss for the community.

Mentore

Do not confuse Chuck McKinnis with Scott Garfinkle for IBM.
ChckMcKinnis was already at a vert high age. I think he was older then 80 years.

Chuck was also very engaged with charity projects in Afirca at a very high age.

Rest in Peace Chuck.

Thanks for all the OS/2 work and other work you did for people.

Roderick

33

Virtualization / Re: ArcaOS 5.1 on Apple Silicone

« on: May 16, 2024, 01:44:35 pm »

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/oracle-virtual-box-windows-11-mac-arm-m-series.2417862/

34

Applications / Re: Archive tool problem

« on: May 14, 2024, 02:12:23 pm »

Archive tool you mean the tool from eCo software for managing ZIP files etc ?

Roderick Klein

35

Hardware / Re: OS/2 for Industrial Use

« on: May 13, 2024, 03:54:57 pm »

Universal instruments from the US uses/used(?) OS/2 on there chip machines.

36

Applications / Re: 3270

« on: May 02, 2024, 12:36:52 pm »

A free version was included in OS/2 Warp 4 somewhere on the main ISO.

37

Programming / Re: OpenDOC - Source Code

« on: April 29, 2024, 05:13:09 pm »

I think it was in Warp 4 original install media. But I seem to recall after that no further updates where released or new versions for OS/2.
Again off the top of my memory.

Roderick

38

Programming / Re: OpenDOC - Source Code

« on: April 27, 2024, 09:08:17 pm »

Hello.

There source code of OpenDOC released to the public with the intentions to be preserved.
- https://github.com/atcurtis/OpenDoc

I have zero experience with OpenDOC, as far as I know it was a framework created by Apple and with IBM and Microsoft they tried to turn it into a standard. I think it was close source and was discontinued on 1997.

I can not even list (or remember) one software that was created with OpenDOC on any of the platforms (OS/2, MacOS 7, Windows, or AIX). I guess all software created with OpenDOC was close source, so we can not even think on bringing some of that old software and port it to OS/2 today.

But on the bright side, I think it is interesting to keep releasing the source code of old software to the public for learning purposes or even some inspiration for something new.

If someone wants to chitchat and give some some insights, personal comments, opinions, it appreciated.

Regards

I think the OS/2 port was scrapped pretty quickly. And the standard had pretty serious security issue's. I seem to recall this was part of the reason Apple dropped it.
But this is from what I recall from many years ago.

Roderick

39

Networking / Re: [SOLVED] Networking not working In Virtual Box

« on: April 03, 2024, 02:42:02 pm »

I do not know if this is related, but after installing tons of programs onto a virtual ArcaOS 5.1 that I just reinstalled, I found the two following problems:

• The PATH and LIBPATH, still limited in size in config.sys, quickly go over their maximum length. It has been the same for ages, but I would be grateful if a good programmer (which I am not) could make a program into which one enters folder names that should be part of libpath (especially), then another folder for collecting all libraries, and then the program picks up all these libraries, copies them to that collection folder, favors newer versions when two files have the same name, or even prevents some files from being copied if they are known to create conflicts. But that is an entirely different topic.
• As mentioned on the old HPFS386 topic that I have to resurrect, some usual folders / files required for HPFS386 are missing. Again, not the same topic.
• Now let's get to the topic at hand. I did not have any network. Somehow the different interfaces are present / installed with one of them activated for DHCP, but there is no DHCPSTRT starting automatically. And yet I did install networking.. Starting DHCPSTRT by hand after getting to the WPS works, but why the heck is it not started during boot-up time? Could anyone tell me exactly how their DHCPSTRT line looks like in their config.sys ?

1. The path and libpath length will not be modified, put it simple OS limitation. If you want to use extended paths for development stuff. You need to use beginpath and beginlibpath.
2. I did not read this topic. But you might need to disable earlymeminit=true in the config.sys, I am not 100% is HPFS386 works with that setting on. Warning however. Switching this option off can result in drivers such as ACPI.PSD, UNIAUD ETC not loading. Switching this option off reduces the amount of RAM for loading kernel  and drivers to about 16 MB of RAM. Which can result in system crashes!
3. Check \mptn\bin\setup.cmd
That gets loaded from the config.sys.

Roderick Klein

40

Setup & Installation / Re: Ecomstation 1.0

« on: April 01, 2024, 12:01:35 pm »

Did you notice that ecomstation.com is still on-line?

I just checked. it is still online. https://www.ecomstation.com/index.phtml
 

The problem is that it keeps going on and offline it seems the site.
Click on this link
https://www.ecomstation.com/where_purchase.phtml
Now click on shop.ecomstation.com
It seems webshop is permanently offline.

Roderick

41

Hardware / Re: Wireless Mouse Issue

« on: March 31, 2024, 01:54:00 am »

Interestingly enough, I plugged my old Logitech mouse (that worked on ArcaOS ) and it does the same thing. I ran lsusb with the Logitech dongle installed:

Bus 000 Device 007: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver

It doesn't work, maybe it's my KVM switch? I will open a ticket.

It could be the kvm. Had more USB kvm tbat are wel nog goud.
If you open a ticket attach s testlog generic.

Roderick

42

Hardware / Re: Wireless Mouse Issue

« on: March 30, 2024, 02:26:04 pm »

Hello Christech

Can you specify which wireless mouse do you use? Of course bluetooth mice and the strange "wifi mouse" does not have OS/2 driver for it.
I guess this is a wireless mouse with USB receiver.  Is a regular USB cable mouse working?

Please post back the brand, model and USB Hardware ID (you can use lsusb).

Regards

Most of these wireless mice simply present as standard USB mouse. In this case a ticket should be opened with Arca Noae and a testlog attached. That way David can tell if the mouse is supported or not. For us here in the forum its guess work as to why the mouse is not working.

Roderick Klein

43

Setup & Installation / Re: Ecomstation 1.0

« on: March 27, 2024, 11:00:22 pm »

Hi Neil

Did you notice that ecomstation.com is still on-line?

Just to add something, yesterday when I replied to jacco123, I tried to visit ecomstation.com and it was not working. I guessed that it was gone for good, but now I realize the website is still there. I stand corrected.

Regards

I had the same.... I was able to access it again. But right now it has gone offline again.
Now if anybody can tell me if I am wrong. When the website www.ecomstation.com is go to the buy section on the website.
It links to shop.ecomstation.com.
However try and visit https://shop.ecomstation.com/  it shows a text:
" redirecting to main eComStation website"
That has been the case for weeks it. Seems the webshop where you could buy eComStation is no longer online

Correct if I am wrong.

Roderick

44

Applications / Re: eCs 1.x & SmartSuite

« on: March 27, 2024, 10:34:36 pm »

Hi all,

I am reinstalling my ArcaOS VM and some of my eCS-originating programs..

1. Does anyone remember on which eCS CD SmartSuite was located, and for which versions of eCS (before it was replaced by openoffice)?

2. Someone has uploaded the 3 CDs of eCS 1.0 to Archive.org. This is the US version, when the one I bought at that time was the version with the CDs made by Mensys (in their usual green cardboard pouch). What are the known differences between both versions?

3. At the time (must have been around 2000-2001), I had ordered eCS early enough to get a sort of 1CD beta before the final one was released. I remember it also had some programs that did not make it to the final one. Anyone has any idea ?

4. I started making/keeping the ISOs of all eCS versions to which I had access since 1.1, but I am missing the ISOs of the beta and of 1.0, and I lost the CDs. 7 years ago, when I emailed Mensys about the inability to redownload my CDs, Menso answered

 “I am sorry to say that our download system is currently in maintenance. We are working on it!

I have forwarded your e-mail to info@ecomstation.com. They will send you a quote for the latest version of eComStation.”
Needless to say, the eCS download system never got out of “maintenance” and the forwarded request was never answered. Would someone have ISOs of the Mensys-version of eCS 1.0, and if possible of the preceding beta?

Thanks !

I worked on eCS 1.0, 1.1 1,2, 2.0., 2.1 and 2.2 beta at Mensys. I left in 2013. Some of the exact revision history of the early 1.0. beta's I think is just lost forever.
This was done by Serenity Systems in conjunction with Mensys from the Netherlands. But most of the early beta's where polished up MCP 1 versions.
The real improvement came with eCS 1.0. with the installer. The phase 1 installer was pretty good but phase 2 (when booted from hard disk, was well, uuuhm, horrible).

eCS 1.1 got a complete new installer backend and frontend.
In 2013 eCS was purchsed by Xeu and I did not work there anymore.  I think the current download systems of eCS might contain 1.2R and 2.1 and eCS 2.2 beta II.
The rest of the other stuff is possibly lost. As in its most likely not online in the old archives. I do not know 100% certain.

As for Smartsuite that was on CD number 3.

If you want more info on early beta's drop be private email roderickklein at xs4all.nl.
(I do not read the forums daily).

Roderick

45

Programming / Re: DosDevIOCtl disabling keyboard in VIO mode

« on: March 07, 2024, 12:23:01 am »

But I also do not understand why you would be dogmatic about using 32-bit only.

Firstly from a technical cleanliness perspective. I thought that OS/2 2.0 was about upgrading to 32-bit. 30 years later and I'm still required to deal with 16-bit? Not what I want to do. Especially not for one problematic function (DosDevIOCtl) that would force me into 16-bit. I'd rather be forced into fullscreen.

Secondly, the pure 32-bit allows me to write a mini-clone of OS/2 either as an app that runs under another OS (e.g. UC386L that runs under Linux) or as a standalone OS (PDOS/386). Both available from http://pdos.org - new version that implements DosDevIOCtl uploaded a couple of minutes ago.

Note that "mini clone" means that it runs *certain* OS/2 executables - basically just the ones that were built with PDPCLIB (see makefile.wat). So anything that is C90-compliant, or uses ANSI x3.64 "extensions" and has been built with PDPCLIB or equivalent (I doubt that there is anything equivalent currently, but there is no barrier to that).

OS/2 has a strong 16-bit heritage, that's just the way it is.

And it doesn't need to be. With proper funding, OS/2 could be stripped internally of any 16-bit vestiges that affect a pure 32-bit application. As well as being a commercial competitor to Windows (note that I am similarly able to convert OS/2 into a mini Win32 clone with the use of win32os2 at pdos.org using the same technique). And yes, I know that Odin for OS/2 and Linux WINE are nominally superior (but neither are what I want).

So anyway, I want to be able to build a 32-bit OS/2 binary today, that runs on all those environments. And even if I lose the source code, the binary remains pure as better OS/2 clones come online.

Having worked on OS/2 for 25 years and more then 10 years on eComStation project I have somewhat experience in this. The issue is that it seems the funding that would be needed never arrived. It seemed nobody was interested in this approach.  Could it be done, I guess so. OS/2 also had ODIN on it, so in the other direction that might work.  However it seems that in most cases it was cheaper and faster to create a VM. Take Virtual PC with OS/2, Svista done by Serenity Systems. I seem to under years ago a France OS/2 customer wanted to move froim OS/2 to Linux. The problem was they had lost the sources of the OS/2 app. I seem to understand IBM tried to create an API layer on Linux. The project was never finished.

Anyway I am not saying it can not be done. I have no clue how much such a project would cost.  But I am skeptical at this moment if it will ever come off the ground.

Roderick