• 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

OS/2 for 2011

Started by Wolfman, 2010.09.29, 21:21:00

Previous topic - Next topic

Wolfman

Hi all,

first post here, my name.s Andrea and I got interested in OS/2 recently.

I'm trying to "do my homework" and gather some information on that os, both in the forums and over the internet, but I feel direct opinions would get me up to speed quicker.
I would't want to add "noise" in the forum, as I feel some of my questions have been posed repeatedly, so if someone is willing to contact me privately (or anywhere else,i.e. IRC) , I would be more than happy to receive direct feedback over Warp 4.

Thanks for reading, let me know, I will be checking this thread regularly.

best regards

Andre

Pete

Hi Andre/Andrea

I suggest you post your questions as there may be more than 1 answer to some questions.

Regards

Pete

Robert Deed

Quote from: Wolfman on 2010.09.29, 21:21:00
Hi all,

first post here, my name.s Andrea and I got interested in OS/2 recently.

I'm trying to "do my homework" and gather some information on that os, both in the forums and over the internet, but I feel direct opinions would get me up to speed quicker.
I would't want to add "noise" in the forum, as I feel some of my questions have been posed repeatedly, so if someone is willing to contact me privately (or anywhere else,i.e. IRC) , I would be more than happy to receive direct feedback over Warp 4.

Thanks for reading, let me know, I will be checking this thread regularly.

best regards

Andre


It is really quite simple.  You would buy eCS if:

You are interested in supporting the future development of the OS.
You are interested in using a dual core processor to the greatest of its abilities
You need open office and updated flash
You are using a computer which needs ACPI in order to boot

It is getting exceedingly difficult to find the older updates for warp 4 as well.  Since the original release of Warp there have been extensive bug fixes, additional features added.  IBM no longer offers these fixes free of charge (and if they do they are very difficult to find).   Something as simple as a stable 32bit tcpip stack may be impossible to find. 

I think I touched upon most of the reasons, though I still think the first is the most important.  Even if Warp4 is a viable operating system for you today it is going to take continued development of features such as ACPI, lan drivers, and software to keep the system viable in the long run.  This can only happen if the financial means are there to make it happen.  Buying eCS is more then just "paying for warp".  You get to benefit from the development which sales of eCS have helped make happen, and you are insuring that this can continue to happen in the future.

In the end, you alone can make the decision.  I think that when you look at what you are getting for the price, the value becomes more apparent.  Sure, openoffice.org is free on most platforms, however if you needed an officesuite and openoffice didn't exist you would be paying close to the eCS license fee for a single piece of software. 

Fahrvenugen

Quote from: Robert Deed on 2010.09.30, 01:34:08

It is getting exceedingly difficult to find the older updates for warp 4 as well.  Since the original release of Warp there have been extensive bug fixes, additional features added.  IBM no longer offers these fixes free of charge (and if they do they are very difficult to find).   Something as simple as a stable 32bit tcpip stack may be impossible to find. 



I'm not sure I fully agree with this, many fixpaks are still available, directly from IBM.  True I'd agree that some stuff (such as the latest USB stuff) isn't available without eCS, but there's a lot of updates still out there.


For example, Warp 4, Fixpak 15:

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/rsu/xr_m015/

Base install for 32 bit stack (MPTS):

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/mpts/fixes/english-us/wr08610_conv/

Additional updates for 32 bit stack:

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/mpts/fixes/english-us/wr08621/

Additional fix for 32 bit stack to prevent crashing with certain apps:

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/h-search.php?sh=1&button=Search&key=newstack&stype=all&sort=type_name&dir=%2F

Fixes for the rest of TCP/IP (updates stuff so it'll work with the 32 bit stack)

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/tcpip/fixes/v3.1os2andv4.0os2/universal/un_0980/

On the other hand, I'd agree the best way is to just purchase eCS, then you not only get the latest updates, but also stuff like acpi, multi-processor/multi-core support, etc.


Wolfman

#4
Hi,
I'd like to say thanks to Pete, Robert and Fahrvenugen for the will to help, I'll bite.

I'm sorry, I must disappoint Robert first. I decided it isn't time to splash on eComStation yet (I said yet). My interest in OS/2 (and, consequently, my presence here) is still a case study of what has been. I am all for paying for a product, I'm sure I will consider eCS at the right time, the price doesn't put me off, it's an hobby after all, and I enjoy my computers.

So my quest for now is to have OS/2 on an old Thinkpad and get some use out of it (the more the marrier).

First questions that sprung to mind were,

- where to find a legal copy of OS/2 4.52

- what's the best manual to get me started

- I have a soft spot for the Thinkpad X30, will 4.52 run on it? (it's just the right price/performance spot I'm searching for hardware-wise, but I couldn't find any info in the eComStation.ru database here http://en.ecomstation.ru/hardware.php?action=category&section=brand&page=13)

- how's trackpoint support?

- how's power management support (laptop application, remember)?

- what's the latest Firefox version supported? (I don't care about flash)

- will wireless work?

- fixpacks, fixpacks... I stumbled upon some browsing for info. No idea what some are for. Is there a guide somewhere? Will I need all of them?

this pretty much covers the basics, I am fully aware I am no expert and I have no problem in continuing my researches via PMs if the admins feel so.

Thanks again for your time,

best regards,

Andrea

Robert Deed

Quote from: Fahrvenugen on 2010.09.30, 17:17:52
Quote from: Robert Deed on 2010.09.30, 01:34:08

It is getting exceedingly difficult to find the older updates for warp 4 as well.  Since the original release of Warp there have been extensive bug fixes, additional features added.  IBM no longer offers these fixes free of charge (and if they do they are very difficult to find).   Something as simple as a stable 32bit tcpip stack may be impossible to find. 



I'm not sure I fully agree with this, many fixpaks are still available, directly from IBM.  True I'd agree that some stuff (such as the latest USB stuff) isn't available without eCS, but there's a lot of updates still out there.


For example, Warp 4, Fixpak 15:

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/os2/rsu/xr_m015/

Base install for 32 bit stack (MPTS):

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/mpts/fixes/english-us/wr08610_conv/

Additional updates for 32 bit stack:

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/mpts/fixes/english-us/wr08621/

Additional fix for 32 bit stack to prevent crashing with certain apps:

http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/h-search.php?sh=1&button=Search&key=newstack&stype=all&sort=type_name&dir=%2F

Fixes for the rest of TCP/IP (updates stuff so it'll work with the 32 bit stack)

ftp://service.boulder.ibm.com/ps/products/tcpip/fixes/v3.1os2andv4.0os2/universal/un_0980/

On the other hand, I'd agree the best way is to just purchase eCS, then you not only get the latest updates, but also stuff like acpi, multi-processor/multi-core support, etc.



Assuming you don't have a list of the file locations saved, or happen to remember service.boulder.ibm.com there is little chance you are going to find them from the outside world. There is also no guarantee that they will remain at those locations or continue to be available.

Robert Deed

#6
Quote from: Wolfman on 2010.09.30, 19:50:52
Hi,
I'd like to say thanks to Pete, Robert and Fahrvenugen for the will to help, I'll bite.

I'm sorry, I must disappoint Robert first. I decided it isn't time to splash on eComStation yet (I said yet). My interest in OS/2 (and, consequently, my presence here) is still a case study of what has been. I am all for paying for a product, I'm sure I will consider eCS at the right time, the price doesn't put me off, it's an hobby after all, and I enjoy my computers.

So my quest for now is to have OS/2 on an old Thinkpad and get some use out of it (the more the marrier).

First questions that sprung to mind were,

- where to find a legal copy of OS/2 4.52

- what's the best manual to get me started

- I have a soft spot for the Thinkpad X30, will 4.52 run on it? (it's just the right price/performance spot I'm searching for hardware-wise, but I couldn't find any info in the eComStation.ru database here http://en.ecomstation.ru/hardware.php?action=category&section=brand&page=13)

- how's trackpoint support?

- how's power management support (laptop application, remember)?

- what's the latest Firefox version supported? (I don't care about flash)

- will wireless work?

- fixpacks, fixpacks... I stumbled upon some browsing for info. No idea what some are for. Is there a guide somewhere? Will I need all of them?

this pretty much covers the basics, I am fully aware I am no expert and I have no problem in continuing my researches via PMs if the admins feel so.

Thanks again for your time,

best regards,

Andrea

No disappointment .  I myself held of jumping on eCS for quite a while, however I needed an easy to install package since I still develop OS/2 apps (point of sale system and business management system).


The X30 is one of the last Thinkpads which officially had OS/2 support. You shouldn't have any issues with it.  You may find the ultranav drivers on lenovo's support site, or possibly on Hobbes.  The trackpoint/trackpad will also function with the latest Amouse drivers however you will not be able to assign them advanced functions (they will simply work as a pointing device).

APM should be fully supported on that laptop.  I know this is the case with warp4, and IIRC 4.52 did not remove these features, though I am not sure since the power management features are not present in ecs so it is also entirely possible they last shipped as part of warp4.

Fixpacks, Service.boulder.ibm.com   The exact location was posted in one of the previous msgs.

Wireless is more hit or miss.  It depends on which wireless option you have.  Genmac supports several chipsets and wlan handles the security side of things.  If you have one of the supported chipsets they are a fairly straight forward (painless) setup.  Using custom drivers for unsupported chipsets can be a little sketchy.  Last but not least, there are some drivers out on the internet for the prisim chipset 11a/b devices which used a different login tool.  These are mostly older devices which are not capable of the newer security used in modern access points. 

There is no way to legally obtain a copy of Warp 4.52 any longer.  You may be able to find a copy on ebay.

AFAIK, Warp 4.52 was never a stand alone product, it was shipped as a client operating system for WSEB.  I am not sure there ever was an official boxed version.  I received mine in the mail with my copy of WSEB with a form to contact IBM to purchase additional licenses as needed.

Fahrvenugen

That's true about Warp 4.52 - it was never shipped as stand alone.  The only way to officially get it was through Software Choice or some other type of service contract with IBM.  Or with eCS - version 1.0 (or it may have been 1.1, I can't recall correctly) came with a CD which had Warp 4.52 with all the eCS stuff added in, and another CD with just Warp 4.52 without the eCS stuff.

The last stand-alone boxed version of Warp client was Version 4.0 - which if you add Fixpak 15 to it, it brings it up to the Warp 4.50 level.  The big thing missing is LVM and JFS, coming bundled with the 32 bit tcp/ip stack, things like that.

Check ebay - I often see V4 packages available for sale.

Wolfman

Quote from: Fahrvenugen on 2010.10.01, 18:33:28

The last stand-alone boxed version of Warp client was Version 4.0 - which if you add Fixpak 15 to it, it brings it up to the Warp 4.50 level.  The big thing missing is LVM and JFS, coming bundled with the 32 bit tcp/ip stack, things like that.

Check ebay - I often see V4 packages available for sale.


That and Robert Deed's answer pretty much cover the basics, it will take a while to get properly equipped, especially since I'm after a pristine X30 Thinkpad.
Thanks for the replies, I'll stay in touch,

Best regards

Andrea