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making a distro called OS2Linux
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WarpOS2Linux
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since: 07 Jan, 2006
1. making a distro called OS2Linux
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I am probably gonna get flamed for this, but Linux has really shown some improvement (from a regular person's point of view). I recently got ahold of an old computer that had OS/2 Warp on it, and it was really stable and usable (aside from not much to install on there, old owner left all his software on there)... I think that at some point someone should make something similar to Wine, except it would be easier to do with the fact that OS/2 API is not changing... If we had a complete set of OS/2 API to use on Linux, then we could build a distro that uses OS/2 and POSIX APIs, and we could name it something like OS2Linux... Just a thought, and expecting the worst
Date: 07 Jan, 2006 on 23:38
cyberspittle
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2. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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Isn't there something called www.unixos2.org ?
Date: 10 Jan, 2006 on 02:11
phaelonimaire
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3. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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At the moment, my OS/2 friends all like to use OS/2 and hope to see more applications ported to it - just as the Linux people I know would like to see everything ported to Linux. Most all of the OS/2 applications I use have Windows counterparts - (PMView, MR/2 Ice, FireFox, Embellish, ZOC, etc.) and a few are more interested in Windows development these days.
One has to ask themselves why the use Linux or OS/2.. If I ran my OS/2 applications through Wine, I wouldn't be running OS/2 anymore. It kind of defeats the purpose of running OS/2.
But yes, you are correct. Such software could be developed if one were so inclined. The problem is that even if you made it look, smell, and taste like OS/2, it would still be linux; my slashes would be backward. My backspace key would alternatively be converted back and forth between 127 and ^H. My USB would work, but I would miss my drive letters.
The bottom line is that I feel so strongly about OS/2 that I would rather a Wine equivelant be made to run Linux programs - or just skip that part and port the Windows ones they mimic.
Can't say if anyone agrees with me, but I enjoy uniquity. OS/2 is uniquity.
Date: 10 Jan, 2006 on 16:02
WarpOS2Linux
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4. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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phaelonimaire (10 Jan, 2006 16:02):
At the moment, my OS/2 friends all like to use OS/2 and hope to see more applications ported to it - just as the Linux people I know would like to see everything ported to Linux. Most all of the OS/2 applications I use have Windows counterparts - (PMView, MR/2 Ice, FireFox, Embellish, ZOC, etc.) and a few are more interested in Windows development these days.
One has to ask themselves why the use Linux or OS/2.. If I ran my OS/2 applications through Wine, I wouldn't be running OS/2 anymore. It kind of defeats the purpose of running OS/2.
But yes, you are correct. Such software could be developed if one were so inclined. The problem is that even if you made it look, smell, and taste like OS/2, it would still be linux; my slashes would be backward. My backspace key would alternatively be converted back and forth between 127 and ^H. My USB would work, but I would miss my drive letters.
The bottom line is that I feel so strongly about OS/2 that I would rather a Wine equivelant be made to run Linux programs - or just skip that part and port the Windows ones they mimic.
Can't say if anyone agrees with me, but I enjoy uniquity. OS/2 is uniquity.

You are very much correct. And another thing. A complete CLI and GUI set could be written to make Linux function entirely like OS/2. It could even be designed to use OS/2 drivers (dunno if ppl want to)...

Date: 14 Jan, 2006 on 03:44
osw
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5. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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HI!
Most of Linux distros try to clone windowsXP look and feel, and , unfortunatelly functionality So one OS/2-like distro won't hurt anybody.
just my 0.02 $
greetings/2
Date: 14 Jan, 2006 on 19:08
phaelonimaire
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6. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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osw (14 Jan, 2006 19:0:
HI!
Most of Linux distros try to clone windowsXP look and feel, and , unfortunatelly functionality So one OS/2-like distro won't hurt anybody.
just my 0.02 $
greetings/2

To some limited degree, you can use the IceWM and DFM window managers to get an OS/2-like feel to your X-window session. A good linux friend of mine had never seen OS/2 until he met me. He knew that he didn't like it, even though he had never seen it. After watching me play with my desktop, he said, "Man, I wish someone would port the WPS to linux. That would be awsome." In fact, there is a WPS-looking Program Manager for Windows 3.1. There are clones, some more functional than others.
I found most all of these alternatives in my brief attempts to switch to FreeBSD or linux. In my attempts to do so, I always end up back in OS/2. The real OS/2. At the moment (for me) there is no adequate substitute. I should probably mention that although I use Linux for various things, I don't really care for it.

Date: 17 Jan, 2006 on 16:02
WarpOS2Linux
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7. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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last updated at 21 Jan, 2006 05:39 (1 times)

phaelonimaire (17 Jan, 2006 16:02):

osw (14 Jan, 2006 19:0:
HI!
Most of Linux distros try to clone windowsXP look and feel, and , unfortunatelly functionality So one OS/2-like distro won't hurt anybody.
just my 0.02 $
greetings/2

To some limited degree, you can use the IceWM and DFM window managers to get an OS/2-like feel to your X-window session. A good linux friend of mine had never seen OS/2 until he met me. He knew that he didn't like it, even though he had never seen it. After watching me play with my desktop, he said, "Man, I wish someone would port the WPS to linux. That would be awsome." In fact, there is a WPS-looking Program Manager for Windows 3.1. There are clones, some more functional than others.
I found most all of these alternatives in my brief attempts to switch to FreeBSD or linux. In my attempts to do so, I always end up back in OS/2. The real OS/2. At the moment (for me) there is no adequate substitute. I should probably mention that although I use Linux for various things, I don't really care for it.


There is a certain feel to the original OS/2, and my idea is an attempt to create a version of linux that uses the OS/2 API as the primary interface... Since quite a few programs that are opensource can be made to run in OS/2, using as much native OS/2 code as possible, fusing together the modularity of Linux with the stability of OS/2, it could be possible to have a distro that is in a class by itself... Of course, if anyone started this, they would need to choose or develop a package management system.. My personal favorite is RPM, but if this is to be binary compatible with OS/2, it needs to be able to understand OS/2 installation systems... I say we should bundle up all the parts to make an OS/2 mockup based on Linux and start from there.. If a majority of the software needed to simulate OS/2 style is in a certain packaging form (RPM, DEB, etc.), then that form will be secondary... Primary being OS/2 native installation systems.... I am getting too far ahead of myself, am I?

Date: 21 Jan, 2006 on 05:36
phaelonimaire
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8. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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The project you've mentioned already has a flavor as " Linux Personality for OS/2 " hosted on netlabs. (http://elfldr.netlabs.org/) As you can see by looking at it, it appears to be abandoned.
I do appreciate your enthusiasm, however I must point out that yes, you are a bit ahead of yourself. Package management is much less important as say, getting that "OS/2 API" ported to linux. Binary compatiability is much more important. Besides, you'll need to rewrite the API. There is no code to "port" from.
There again, if you go the route as such on Netlabs, the work is much easier, since you're taking the open-source OS and porting it to the proprietary one.
Package management, dependancies, etc - most OS/2 applications have one dependency: OS/2. No package manager necessary.
Thinking of linux and porting and package managers.. I use slackware on another machine, and I just spent four hours of my life I'll never get back trying to download the proper versions of crap.
I'm not so sure I'd want to use a version of OS/2 that made me deal with DEB and RPM and those who fight over which one is better. At the moment OS/2 people I know just want their usb sticks to work, and maybe some other neat hardware.
Date: 21 Jan, 2006 on 17:20
RandomNybbler
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9. Re:making a distro called OS2Linux
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I'd have to agree with phaelonimaire that the right approach would be to build a compatibility layer that OS/2 can use to linux apps.
The real problem that has been brought up by others is the overwhelming mess that is application dependancy within linux. Making a windows app play nice on your system is trivial versus the uber dll-hell situation in linux. I have many times tried to get all the relevent sources to build any linux app, and found that unless you start with a recent codebase, say less than 2 years old, good luck finding half the code you need to make it fly.

I see it this way. As long as some brave souls like ourselves are willing to continue the porting of critical apps to OS/2 and ECS, the platform will continue just fine. It's just more important now versus ever before to support the vendors of OS/2 based solutions with our $$$ to continue our enjoyment of our favorite operating system.

Just my personal .02

Date: 22 Jan, 2006 on 23:33
making a distro called OS2Linux
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