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Messages - Mentore

Pages: 1 [2] 3 4 ... 11
16
Comments, Suggestions & Questions / Re: Hobbes (Files) Reoganization
« on: February 22, 2024, 08:16:22 am »
Thanks Andreas.

Maybe I can summarize it as, "there most be a better way to warn the users or give suggestion about each software, but we still need to crack it down".

I will keep thinking about.
- Software comments feedback?
- Software Rating ?
- Use Recommendations?

Regards

Everyone please consider that a huge work on fields like this has been done by the former Team OS/2 Italia with the eCSoft/2 site

https://ecsoft2.org/

The infrastructure is AFAIK maintained by Massimo, which is a fellow user of this forum as well.

I think the topics in the database could be "enhanched" somehow by adding ratings or the like.

Mentore

17
Programming / Re: ArcaOS - Recreate a complete build environment?
« on: February 08, 2024, 05:16:14 pm »
libc-devel
libcx-devel
kbuild-make
autotools (autoconf, automake, libtool, m4)
bison
flex
groff
lxlite
nasm
patch (careful about the one in \os2)
pthread-devel
sed
watcom-wrc
watcom-wipf
Various devel packages as required
Should be a good start along with what you listed.
Really most of this stuff should be in a meta package along with whatever I forgot.
Need at least some of this in your environment too,
Code: [Select]
SET SHELL=sh.exe
SET EMXSHELL=sh.exe
SET CONFIG_SHELL=sh.exe
SET MAKESHELL=sh.exe
SET EXECSHELL=sh.exe

Thanks a billion to you too, Dave. Going to install these as soon as I can.

Mentore

18
Programming / Re: ArcaOS - Recreate a complete build environment?
« on: February 05, 2024, 11:35:18 am »
My advice is -
yum install gcc (*)
yum install ostk45 (?)
yum install wlink

(*) (?) search for the correct packet name f.i. with 'yum list *tk45*'

I'm sure I've forgot something but...

Seems a good starting point. I'll begin with this as soon as I get hando on my Arca VM. Thanks!

19
Programming / ArcaOS - Recreate a complete build environment?
« on: February 05, 2024, 09:22:11 am »
Hello all, starting a new topic which I hope will be useful to other people.
I'm about to finish a complete ArcaOS VM - meaning I installed all the system, the applications that I want to work with (Graphics, DTP, Math, Emulators, Games and so on) and now I'm finishing a big development section.
So I went and installed VACPP 4 (the text editor and the CLI compiler are my needs), OpenWatcom, various REXX environments, and os on. But now I'm stuck with GCC environment.

In the past I heavily relied on Paul Smedley's build environment, but as far as I can see, there's no mention of it in his website. Since there are many interesting projects involving GCC I'd really like to get a complete GCC based build environment, but somehow feel a little stuck (too used to Visual Studio I'm afraid).

From where can I start? I guess a GCC recent version (not sure of what would be the best), discarding EMX, then make, autoconf suite, cmake, what else?

Any help will gladly be appreciated - we may use this thread to estabilish an up to date information source for us programmers out there...

TIA
Mentore

20
Hardware / Re: The last nail in OS/2's coffin
« on: February 02, 2024, 08:01:13 am »
What OS/2 applications do exist where you would not find an equivalent under Linux (or Windows)?
And more importantly: what developer would bother with OS/2 development tools?

I got the feeling this is the main question and the main topic keeping the OS/2 architecture alive in the community (apart from the big commercial customers, which have economic interests in keeping their OS/2 installed base up-to-date).
It's the user experience.
I for myself have used OSes starting from the ZX Spectrum, saw and played with the first Mac and Amiga 1000, I still have three Spectrum(s) and a Sinclair QL, a Commodore 64, a 128 and an Amiga, I use Windows on a daily basis starting from Win 3.1, used Linux and still use Linux on the PC placed under the family TV, installed many unix flavors and window managers from fwm to KDE, GNOME, Ubuntu-based, Free BSD, Slackware, OpenSuSE, I even tried Sun Solaris 10 (still have three install DVDs for it).

I always find myself more comfortable with OS/2 GUI and overall with its system, even though I often get annoyed by its shortcomings.
Just an example: our CMD shell is lacking many features, like file and directory completion, a good command history, a complete 32 bit environment (it's still 16 bit IIRC), but nonetheless I feel pretty much at home into it.

So yes, I know I'll somehow keep at least an OS/2 machine at home, virtualized or on a bare metal machine. This, and the big investment I made in all these years, are my reasons.

Quote
I can tell you from my own experience that this becomes an increasing problem. One version of Watcom being incompatible with the next and unfortunately picking the "official" version does not help because it is the one that is buggy.

And this is a typical user community problem. We are shrinking, there's no doubt about it... Sadly I don't have real answers here.

Mentore

21
Applications / Re: Where to upload ?
« on: February 01, 2024, 08:12:17 am »
I have fixed "RAMSCOPE" to work under 32-bit OS/2 (in particular: its device driver PHYSMEM.SYS).
Not that it would matter but it was worth the fun :-)

If it weren't funny, it wouldn't be worthy of the work ;)

Quote
I have uploaded to "www.hobbesarchive.com" (hopefully). Is that now the agreed place or what ?

Lars

As far as I know, per what I read from other sources, it is now.

Mentore

22
Hardware / Re: The last nail in OS/2's coffin
« on: January 30, 2024, 09:57:03 am »
Has anyone considered that AMD might not blindly follow Intel down this road?  I see this as an attempt by Intel to gain relevance.

This may indeed be a possible scenario, also due to the technical challenges a complete 64 bit transition will create.

That said, I'm fairly sure that the actual x86 architecture will survive for long, before it can be considered a dead horse. Too many installed machines and too much software written for it.
I feel confident OS/2 will survive this generation  8)

Mentore

23
Hardware / Re: The last nail in OS/2's coffin
« on: January 22, 2024, 08:43:09 am »
Sorry, it's in German (unfortunately it's also not free):
https://www.heise.de/select/ct/2023/26/2317912025061981023

I suppose that this has also been.picked up by other IT press articles about the new X86-S architecture.
What it basically states is that Intel will now finally remove all 16-bit support (true for real mode, protected mode and VM86 mode), all segmentation, Ring 1 and 2 of the protection rings.
That means: NO OS/2 device driver will work, NO  OS/2 1.x application will work, no application with an IOPL segment will work, no VDM will work, some parts of the kernel will cease to work.

OS/2 is going to be put to it's well deserved, permanent rest.
The current x86 will likely live on for a couple of years but there clearly is no future for OS/2, not even in a virtualization environment like Virtualbox.

Dunno.
Basically this means we will build new machines on AMD CPUs.

(Jus' kidding, but not so much...)

Mentore

24
General Discussion / Re: Hobbes Retirement
« on: January 09, 2024, 08:05:49 am »
Just read this on hobbes:

ATTENTION

After many years of service, hobbes.nmsu.edu will be decommissioned and will no longer be available. You the user are responsible for downloading any of the files found in this archive if you want them. These files will no longer be available for access or download as of the decommission date.

As of April 15th, 2024 this site will no longer exist.

No one will be able to access this site or any information/files stored on this site as of April 15th, 2024.

This is one of the worst news I expected to hear to date.
Of course we should have more than one way to preserve the amount of OS/2 software stored on it, but still... Visiting Hobbes has become something like a daily stroll.
A lot of work will be needed to change the links present, e.g. in eCSoft/2.

Mentore

25
Programming / Re: Installing VisualAge 4 on ArcaOS 5.x
« on: January 09, 2024, 08:01:51 am »
...Turns out I somehow didn't copy the entire installation CD on my VM, so VACPP.RSP and other files weren't where expected...

Not sure what the software level is that you ended up deploying, but if it's the base stuff make sure you apply the fixpak release that's avaialable, for VACPP 4.0 that's just FP1.

Totally agree with this, Darius. Will apply it this morning (as soon as I manage to wake up - my son got up at 3.30 in the morning, I'm feeling a little tired  ;D )

26
Programming / Re: Installing VisualAge 4 on ArcaOS 5.x
« on: January 08, 2024, 02:11:16 pm »
Maybe this helps:

http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL1007H/feature_2.html

http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL0708H/feature_2.html

@Michael and Neil: thanks both.
Will try it this evening (if my son lets me a moment of relief, that is  8) )

Mentore

Turns out I somehow didn't copy the entire installation CD on my VM, so VACPP.RSP and other files weren't where expected.
Now I just finished installing it and gonna see how it works (I already know IDE will be pretty much disappointing).

Mentore

27
Programming / Re: Installing VisualAge 4 on ArcaOS 5.x
« on: January 08, 2024, 07:54:00 am »
Maybe this helps:

http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL1007H/feature_2.html

http://www.os2voice.org/VNL/past_issues/VNL0708H/feature_2.html

@Michael and Neil: thanks both.
Will try it this evening (if my son lets me a moment of relief, that is  8) )

Mentore

28
Programming / Installing VisualAge 4 on ArcaOS 5.x
« on: January 05, 2024, 03:05:14 pm »
Hello all,
been trying to install this old beast under my ArcaOS powered VM.
It seems, though, that even installing Netscape Communicator + Feature Install I can't get past the installation splash screen. Also rebooting the VM and reinstalling FI alone doesn't get me anywhere.
ISTR there was something helpful for installing VAge without that nightmare known as Feature Installer - I mean, what the hell did IBM developers think when they deployed something like that?

So, any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA,
Mentore

29
Applications / Re: Audio Recording/Editor?
« on: December 19, 2023, 09:06:08 am »
Looking for an application that can record audio and possibly edit it similar to Audacity for OS/2 or ArcaOS. Not finding much.

Not many applications have been developed for OS/2 in the past. I had mixed success with those:

  • CERES SoundStudio - the only application I know capable of graphic audio editing - to some extent. Only handles MMPM/2 recognized files (or were they only WAV files? Can't remember well).
  • PlayRec - command line driven pair of applications. Always worked flawlessly, no editing.
  • Dunno if ffmpeg is able to work with audio input in OS/2. You might give it a try, though.

Other may be available, so good luck.
Mentore

30
Programming / Re: Source Code Text Editor Suggestions
« on: December 11, 2023, 08:24:59 am »
Simpler to setup and use is MED. Mind I'm using VisualSlickEdit for all my programming tasks. Including project symbol find, rebuild with simple keystroke, jump to compile error with ctrl up/down (IIRC). But for simple editing tasks I use MED (config.sys, ... or simple one ore two C source file projects). MED is my default even when I'm searching in toolkit header files for some things (DataSeeker) and with one click MED opens at the line where the symbol searched was found.

Conclusion - big and complex source project clearly VS. For all other tasks MED.

Btw. VS does not start when Virtualbox is already running. You've to start it before.

VSE is something I'd love to put my hands on. Too bad it is impossible to buy it anymore.
Guess I'll install VAC 3 and 4 ASAP and use more than one IDE.

I have to say, Visual Studio IDE have been improved greatly - weren't it for the need to port .NET on OS/2 (absurd task, mind you) I'd love to rebuild Visual Studio Code on our platform.
But we'd need .NET (which is basically a superset of SOM, even if not related)...

Mentore

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