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Messages - David Kiley

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121
Setup & Installation / Re: Is eComStation DEAD?
« on: August 02, 2014, 08:09:18 pm »
Well, let me share my opinion about Linux/2: please, no.
Well, certainly linux is just my suggestion for the base kernel, but if you have something against linux specifically, other alternative bases could be considered.
The point is currently a huge amount of effort is being spent patching software to run on old closed source os/2..

Whereas we could instead focusing on creating NEW os/2 software on the back of an already modern os, be in a BSD or Unix, or whatever base the community feels inspired... therefore no need to spend time making drivers that have already been created, and no need to recreate software like firefox that already runs on those OSs.

Instead you could put all your effort into a new os/2 desktop experience, which lets be honest is where most of us are spending our time on os/2 :).

122
Setup & Installation / Re: Is eComStation DEAD?
« on: August 02, 2014, 08:02:20 pm »
Today OS/2 is valuable because it can run on real hardware. There is flow of money, there are developers because it is running on real hardware, there is demand on this alternative OS.

If settle OS/2 to Virtual machine or create WPS for Linux then it will become unnecessary. All developers will go away and .. only the developer of WPS front-end will stay alive.

Sure, today it's "valuable" in a limited way because there are banks and other enterprise companies trying to run os/2 on legacy systems, or upgrading to more modern systems so they can run old os/2 software. That's why serenity was in the business, so they can sell hundreds of enterprise licenses.

But if you stick to that path then it will only lead to the death of the os , because eventually all of these companies are going to abandon os/2 and there will be no market.

On the other hand i've watched more than one open source project grow, such as freedos, reactos and even linux since I originally booted slackware on a floppy in the 90's..
And one thing i've noticed is that while it always starts little, tons of people are curious about alternatives and eventually join the army.

So right now we only have a few people that care about os/2..
But if we abandon this path of holding onto the old, and instead focus on creating something new - then we will soon have a lot of friends to help us since people are inspired by creation :).

My 2 cents anyway..

123
Setup & Installation / Re: Is eComStation DEAD?
« on: August 02, 2014, 08:31:25 am »
So I understand the will to see stuff have open source as so much nice OS/2 software died because it was closed source. But open source is not a warranty to keep OS/2 alive.

I totally hear what your saying that big open source projects are usually commercially funded, but I also agree with Martin that if os/2 computing experience has a future it is with open source.
These closed companies can only keep us on a life support path.

Personally I think we need to think outside the box.
Like, the core linux kernel is already mature, with 90% hardware support and support for existing technologies (64 bit etc).
Why not make a new linux distribution, using the already existing technology - and then focuse on specific things that could make it more like os/2?
For example if we the community created a linux distro with a WPS like desktop experience, it would effectly become a new os/2 at least from the user gui experience.

So then instead of having to create a completely new os, now you can just focus all the effort on the desktop experience, since os/2 has a very unique WPS interface that has never been replicated.

And who knows, as we get more users, then you could futher add features, like an os/2 "classic" emulator that can run native os/2 & dos apps - similar to what apple did with os/x.

So yeah.. I think we could aim for a new os called Lin/2 :).

With that kind of strategy we wouldn't be constantly reinventing the wheel, trying to get virtualbox, flash, firefox etc running on the old closed source software.
But could instead focus all that limited effort into creating something new that we the community own.

124
Setup & Installation / Re: Is eComStation DEAD?
« on: August 02, 2014, 08:22:31 am »
So I understand the will to see stuff have open source as so much nice OS/2 software died because it was closed source. But open source is not a warranty to keep OS/2 alive.

I totally hear what your saying that big open source projects are usually commercially funded, but I also agree with Martin that if os/2 computing experience has a future it is with open source.
These closed companies can only keep us on a life support path.

Personally I think we need to think outside the box.
Like, the core linux kernel is already mature, with 90% hardware support and support for existing technologies (64 bit etc).
Why not make a new linux distribution, using the already existing technology - and then focuse on specific things that could make it more like os/2.
For example if we the community created a linux distro with a WPS like desktop experience, it would effectly become a new os/2.

So then instead of having to create a completely new os, now you can just focus all the effort on the desktop experience, since os/2 has a very unique WPS interface that has never been replicated.

And who knows, as we get more users, then you could futher add features, like an os/2 "classic" emulator that can run native os/2 & dos apps - similar to what apple did with os/x.

So yeah.. I think we could aim for a new os called Lin/2 :).

With that kind of strategy we wouldn't be constantly reinventing the wheel, trying to get virtualbox, flash, firefox etc running on the old closed source software.
But could instead focus all that limited effort into creating something new that we the community own.


125
Polls / Re: eComStation Retail Store?
« on: August 02, 2014, 06:30:31 am »
Quote
You had better be a rich man to try that. First, you would need to find a location where the largest number of eCS users lives, in the nearby area.

Actually I think there IS a demand for an alternative os if your running a computer shop. People are tired of windows and all the malware. I'm currently setting up linux for a customers for just that reason - in their own words "Next time i'm getting a mac since I can't afford to keep buying anti virus and dealing with these problems."
When I explained there is an alternative os that would run on her current computer, and she wouldn't need to worry about malware, while still accessing some windows programs, she was excited.

If you offer them a complete package that can meet all their needs, and you support it, people would jump on it.
The problem with ECS is that it can't meet all their needs at the moment, especially the lack of a fully functional virtualbox in my opinion.

Emulation of windows in the os is pretty important since it lets a person that just needs ONE windows app or windows only hardware, needed for their job for example - to still happily use an alternative os for most of their computing.


126
Polls / Re: eComStation Retail Store?
« on: August 02, 2014, 06:15:03 am »
I know this thread is "old" but I was interested in the topic so hope no one minds..

Anyway right now I actually am starting a local computer company, and will be offering linux desktops (centos which has a long release cycle) because I can set it up to give a mac like experience to regular computer users - but sadly I don't think ecomstation right now would be a good choice for most average computer users at this point.

Up until recently I ran it as my stand alone ECS desktop, but it's been falling further and further behind. Serenty systems has been pretty quiet for years, and who knows what is going on with mensys now.. so there doesn't seem to be much muscle as far as future development.

Developers have been struggling to keep firefox up to date.. java is really good but not really working as good as centos. Buggy usb support and fairly difficult to setup other than the most obscure printers.

No virtualbox so I can't really emulate windows (which I can do on centos, so I can give users access to the windows apps and windows only harware).
 
To me that virtualbox is the biggest issue, since if we had a virtualbox with usb support working on ecomstation, then I could offer a system that allows users to still access compatible windows hardware while still running ECS as their main os.

Don't get me wrong i'm a huge fan of os/2, but things seem pretty bleak right now I think as far as a consumer os goes.







127
Applications / Re: ecenter ecomcenter minimize window question
« on: September 25, 2013, 10:02:37 pm »
Interesting- My ecenter doesn't have the window list widget installed. I see it on someone elses e-center on the screeshot on this older post:
http://www.os2world.com/forum/index.php?topic=188.0

If I click "add widget" I get a list of widgets, but the window list is greyed out so I can't select it.
Is it available for download somewhere so I can add it?

I see it's available as part of xcenter apparently:
http://www.os2usr.org/xcenter/

But what if I just want it as part of ecenter?

I'm using ecomstation 2.1 home edition. I've also tried to google it but haven't found it yet :).

128
Communication / Re: Good java sftp client?
« on: September 25, 2013, 08:24:41 am »
Well, I just downloaded the latest version of mucommander and it's actually a lot more stable (crashed once tonight instead of 5x), although I would still be curious what anyone else might be using and their experiences with the applications.

129
Applications / ecenter ecomcenter minimize window question
« on: September 25, 2013, 06:41:38 am »
So the ecomcenter has a "minimize all windows" widget built into it, which isn't in the ecenter by default.
I prefer the ecenter otherwise, so does anyone know if there is a way to add that to the ecenter? Sometimes I have a ton of windows open so it would be nice to be able to click one button to clear everything and get to the desktop.

Thanks for the info :)

130
Applications / Any developments with Virtualbox?
« on: September 25, 2013, 03:45:40 am »
Does any anyone know if there has been any developments on the virtualbox bounty?:
http://www.os2world.com/bounty-system/87-os2world/bounty-system/bounty-system-open/12732-virtual-box-port-302

I donated to it years ago -and haven't been paying much attention so I was just wondering if anyone has been working on it.



131
Communication / Good java sftp client?
« on: September 25, 2013, 03:36:39 am »
I've been using an older version of mucommander as my sftp client for a while now. It's good but pretty buggy, meaning sometimes it crashes when loading and sometimes it crashes while i'm using it.
So i've been searching for a more stable java sftp client and just wondering if anyone else has had more luck with any?


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