• Welcome to OS2World OLD-STATIC-BACKUP Forum.
 

News:

This is an old OS2World backup forum for reference only. IT IS READ ONLY!!!

If you need help with OS/2 - eComStation visit http://www.os2world.com/forum

Main Menu

Is GenMAC Open Source?

Started by miturbide, 2010.02.01, 15:16:09

Previous topic - Next topic

miturbide

--reply test.-  ??? ???
Martín Itúrbide
OS2World.com NewsMaster
Open Source Advocate

Skype - martiniturbide
Google Talk - martiniturbide@gmail.com

Sigurd

Hm,

I can not reach page 2 of this thread, even with the usual work around.

???

miturbide

I can see the 2nd page from the usual work arround (http://www.os2world.com/forum). I was testing out since i been told that this message can not be replied.
Martín Itúrbide
OS2World.com NewsMaster
Open Source Advocate

Skype - martiniturbide
Google Talk - martiniturbide@gmail.com

Fahrvenugen

Hi,

Thought I'd throw in my $0.02.

For me, when I consider the subject of open source stuff for OS/2 / eCS, I admit that in an ideal world I'd love to see lots of it open sourced.  However I also recognize that what we have is a closed-source operating system.  And as long as we have a closed-source OS as the base, we'll be limited to what is open source and what is not.

Take for example the DDK as has been discussed.  The DDK is available, and is a great resource for developing new device drivers or enhancing current device drivers to extend their capability for new hardware.  Code in the DDK allows us to have a system which will boot and run on a lot of hardware that is available.

However for reasons already explained the DDK (and any code which comes via DDK sources) *can't be* open sourced.  To re-write DDK code would take a lot of work.

So the question in my mind is:  Do I want an operating system that will run on the hardware I have using updated drivers, regardless if the code that brought about those drivers is open source or not?  Do I want portions of the OS updated to allow it to run on modern hardware (such as ACPI), even if the updates are closed-source?  Or do I want to wait, for potentially years and years, and  potentially never to appear open source replacements?

True, I'd love it if all this stuff could be open sourced.  However  with the current base we're working from, that's not going to happen soon. 

I don't want to detract from the open source stuff we currently have - I applaud the people who have gone to the effort to provide us with this.  However for the immediate time being, I have a job to do.  I have systems where I rely on OS/2  / eCS and I need them to just work.  If I can keep those systems running with open source drivers and apps, then great!  However considering OS/2 / eCS is a closed source operating system, if I need to use a closed source driver or application to keep those systems running then I'm fine with that too.  Its all a matter of balance.

If I cared about everything being fully open source I'd likely switch to something like Linux or BSD.  However that's not the reason I chose a particular OS for a particular task.  My choice is more based on whether or not the system is the best fit solution for the the job that I need it to do.  Yes I'm idealistic and would love to see even more stuff open sourced, but I also recognize that I have a job that I need to do.

Thanks



miturbide

Hi Fahrvenugen

Your point of view is also good.

Quote from: Fahrvenugen on 2010.02.08, 19:54:57
So the question in my mind is:  Do I want an operating system that will run on the hardware I have using updated drivers, regardless if the code that brought about those drivers is open source or not?  Do I want portions of the OS updated to allow it to run on modern hardware (such as ACPI), even if the updates are closed-source?  Or do I want to wait, for potentially years and years, and  potentially never to appear open source replacements?

Sure, we want today and now to have all the drivers. And as I told before Roderick, I don't want to diminish the work of anybody working on eCS software (open source or closed). But the doubt remains, what about the future ?

What future can we have if we keep developing software that had dependencies. We currently had a dependencies on IBM and they had stopped OS/2 improvement long time ago. We have dependencies on some developers that created close source programs, and had stopped their development without any way to continue their projects.  Creating today more close source software is falling into the same methodology after 4 to 6 years when the developer quits, retired, or die. 

That's my concern.
Martín Itúrbide
OS2World.com NewsMaster
Open Source Advocate

Skype - martiniturbide
Google Talk - martiniturbide@gmail.com

miturbide

Hi

I had talked to Roderick on the phone and he explained to me the Mensys strategy with eComStation. I got some response to my questions like it or not.

I can not comment, since I can distort Roderick's conversation from my own point of view and thinking.

I will keep insisting on having an open source future for ecs-OS2 and support every Open Source effort on this platform.  so, from my side I'm closing this discussion, you are welcome to comment if you like.
Martín Itúrbide
OS2World.com NewsMaster
Open Source Advocate

Skype - martiniturbide
Google Talk - martiniturbide@gmail.com

rwklein

Yes I talked to Martin on Skype. I will put it like this. Getting everything on eCS open source (to replace for example the PMSHELL or OS2KRNL) is something that will not happen anytime soon.

We as Mensys would love to have source code since fixing things would be a lot easier, but thats not going to happen.
What is possible it replace components like what has happened with Samba to run next to IBM peer client.

We have human resources to develop drivers and applications. But such a large scale project as rewriting the IBM DDK is not on our priority. For the simple reason a lot of device drivers need to written/updated. And lot of these needs we are addressing.

To find human resources to rewrite the DDK, there not there. If anybody wants to volenteer let me know.
This would be one of the big steps so Mensys could fully open source stuff like ACPI and other drivers we have.
Because of lot of stuff depends on the DDK.

For the next 5 to 10 years we except that x86  CPU support will remain in the CPU. That long we can keep OS/2 running natively (eComStation) and there are lot of options. After that we can use a mini kind of hardware layer with a virtual machine. If there is not an option.



Roderick Klein
Mensys