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Still Kind of A Noob at OS/2 , general questions

Started by iainnitro, 2010.09.30, 01:35:11

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iainnitro

Greetings:

I have become quite the IBMer in the past two months.  It started with my passion for vintage computers (like my TRS-80 model 4) and wanting to preserve the BBS culture of which I was involved in as a Sysop.  I am currently working on reviving my old BBS system and in the course of getting some machines to do the job (both IBM PC300 series, 1 PL 6562-86U and the other a GL 6282-58U).  The PL is the one I decided to install OS/2 Warp 4 on and I plan to apply fixpack 15 and the native drivers for the machine in the next few days as I have time.

The questions are:  What is a good terminal program (supporting ANSI-BBS) for OS/2?  Also, the official Lenovo support site where I found the drivers for my machine for OS/2 state that the USB ports are not supported, are there any workarounds or third party drivers for USB?

Also need a good FTP program and the ability to SSH into my *NIX boxes.  I am an avid Linux user and I am hoping I can do alot with OS/2 W4 since it still seems to have development happening.  I am actually also looking for a legit copy of the CD.  I think I found one on Amazon, but really don't think I want to pay $196 for the system, but if that is the going rate, I suppose I will break down and get it soon.

To that end, I want to learn all the ins and outs of the OS, I have ordered a book from Amazon that specifically addresses Warp 4, but wonder what other books I may want in my collection.

Lastly, there are rumours that IBM is thinking about revitalizing OS/2... are these purely rumours or does anyone know for sure?  I have been following the renewal of Amiga OS since they just made Version 4 of AmigaOS a year or so ago... since that was an even more "dead" platform, I would think a redo and modernization of OS/2 would be a good move at this time for IBM.

Anyhow, I digress, Hope someone is willing to be a bit of a mentor for me, just PM me with an email if you are willing to kind of do some hand holding for someone with 21 years in computers who knew DOS pretty well :-)

Otherwise, I welcome answers to my questions and any advice I will gladly accept, even if I don't end up following some of it ;-)

Hope all are having a good day!

Thanks in advance for the help.  Mike


Robert Deed

Quote from: iainnitro on 2010.09.30, 01:35:11
Greetings:

I have become quite the IBMer in the past two months.  It started with my passion for vintage computers (like my TRS-80 model 4) and wanting to preserve the BBS culture of which I was involved in as a Sysop.  I am currently working on reviving my old BBS system and in the course of getting some machines to do the job (both IBM PC300 series, 1 PL 6562-86U and the other a GL 6282-58U).  The PL is the one I decided to install OS/2 Warp 4 on and I plan to apply fixpack 15 and the native drivers for the machine in the next few days as I have time.

The questions are:  What is a good terminal program (supporting ANSI-BBS) for OS/2?  Also, the official Lenovo support site where I found the drivers for my machine for OS/2 state that the USB ports are not supported, are there any workarounds or third party drivers for USB?


Also need a good FTP program and the ability to SSH into my *NIX boxes.  I am an avid Linux user and I am hoping I can do alot with OS/2 W4 since it still seems to have development happening.  I am actually also looking for a legit copy of the CD.  I think I found one on Amazon, but really don't think I want to pay $196 for the system, but if that is the going rate, I suppose I will break down and get it soon.

To that end, I want to learn all the ins and outs of the OS, I have ordered a book from Amazon that specifically addresses Warp 4, but wonder what other books I may want in my collection.

Lastly, there are rumours that IBM is thinking about revitalizing OS/2... are these purely rumours or does anyone know for sure?  I have been following the renewal of Amiga OS since they just made Version 4 of AmigaOS a year or so ago... since that was an even more "dead" platform, I would think a redo and modernization of OS/2 would be a good move at this time for IBM.

Anyhow, I digress, Hope someone is willing to be a bit of a mentor for me, just PM me with an email if you are willing to kind of do some hand holding for someone with 21 years in computers who knew DOS pretty well :-)

Otherwise, I welcome answers to my questions and any advice I will gladly accept, even if I don't end up following some of it ;-)

Hope all are having a good day!

Thanks in advance for the help.  Mike



I use http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/apps/comm/term/mt-a5.zip as a terminal.

The USB ports in virtually every system should work fine with the latest USB drivers for OS/2.  IIRC Warp4 did not ship with USB support, warp server for ebusiness and the client release were the first to add USB support.  They were also added to warp4 through a fixpack later on.  These will function on the PL/GL (I know from first hand experience).

So far, any rumors of IBM reviving OS/2 are purely rumors.  It would be a massive undertaking that I don't think IBM really has in their heart anymore.  They are moving away from the OS side of things and more onto software and services.  It would be incredibly difficult to modernize OS/2 without a significant amount of legacy support being destroyed.  Without a very thorough  rewrite 64bit support would be impossible.  Most apps rely on 16bit code in some form.  Almost all device drivers do as well.  If OS/2 was to be brought back, what would be released would probably have little resemblance to the OS we love.

djcaetano

Quote from: iainnitro on 2010.09.30, 01:35:11
The questions are:  What is a good terminal program (supporting ANSI-BBS) for OS/2?  Also, the official Lenovo support site where I found the drivers for my machine for OS/2 state that the USB ports are not supported, are there any workarounds or third party drivers for USB?

  Best terminal program ever created (hehe): ZOC
  Cool BBS Software for OS/2: Adept

   Using this software and emulating COM ports via Telnet ports (using SIO) you'll be able to put a multinode BBS online, through the internet. :)
  I have done that myself some years ago.

warpcafe

Hi,

for the Terminal program I second djcaetano: ZOC
I have a "lifetime subscription" and it is also the program I use on Windows to connect to virtually everything at work: Unix boxes, mainframes, midrange systems... you name it, regardless of protocol and connection. I have working it with tunnelling, etc. It may be a bit "confusing" in the beginning by the sheer mass of features, but one can get used to it.
http://www.emtec.com/zoc/index.html

HTH
Thomas
"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
By definition, there are already enough people to do that"
- G.H. Hardy

iainnitro

@Robert Reed:  So USB support should be enabled with FP 15 on my PL?

Thanks.

RobertM

Quote from: iainnitro on 2010.10.01, 07:35:30
@Robert Reed:  So USB support should be enabled with FP 15 on my PL?

Thanks.


You may have to "enable" it via editing the config.sys file.

Best,
Robert


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Kirk's 5 Year Mission Continues at:
Star Trek New Voyages
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Robert Deed

Quote from: iainnitro on 2010.10.01, 07:35:30
@Robert Reed:  So USB support should be enabled with FP 15 on my PL?

Thanks.


Should be just removing some REM's.  However, I do not remember which type or how many usb ports this model has.   I was a software choice subscriber when USB support was released and used the installer to handle setting up the USB drivers.   

Pete

Hi

USBcfg may come in handy for configuring USB Controllers and other drivers http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/system/USBcfgb071.zip

Regards

Pete