This is not the first, second, or third time that this topic has been brought up. I've seen this topic more than once, and made comments each time. This time it has come in the form of a 64 bit kernel. I understand why a 64 bit kernel is necessary, but I also know that at the moment, we do not have a (maintainable) kernel at all, 64 bit or otherwise! Without a kernel, you don't have an operating system. Without an operating system, it doesn't matter who has or doesn't have Lotus Notes, or any other application.
It seems obvious that we're not going to legally get the kernel source, or any other aid from IBM. We must either write a new kernel, or try to modify one that already exists. Waiting for an IBM handout will kill us.
The Wine developers do not have source for the API which they recreated, nor do the ReactOS developers. Both groups have managed to get somewhere, and they did so by moving forward. We can argue about our knowledge of OS/2 history and who was where, but it doesn't help any of us. There are a number of projects in the works to do exactly what has been said here, yet we're behaving as if they do not exist. osfree has plans to recreate OS/2. Most importantly, they've actually worked at it, and have something to show for their work. Even though their chosen path is a difficult one, it is much better than waiting on IBM to feel sorry for us. I don't think sorrow is part of their corporate policy.
We know what we want - it's now a matter of making it happen.
This topic can be summed up like this:
IBM no longer supports OS/2. There will not be a 64-bit kernel for OS/2 from IBM.
We, as a community, are looking for ways to enhance OS/2 without IBM or IBM's code. There are a number of groups working on this - some of which have made progress.
Would you like to help? This is a major task - we need all the hands we can get.
Now, a rant: if you take a look at netlabs or osfree, you'll notice that their websites are all broken. It would appear as if the community is gone. If you dig deeper, you'll find that there are people working. How do you expect to draw attention or developers when they can't even figure out if you're still alive? I thought for sure osfree was dead, until I looked at the dates in svn.