Text 6461, 99 rader
Skriven 2006-06-26 01:39:02 av Maurice Kinal (1:140/13.1)
   Kommentar till text 6459 av RICHARD STEINER (1:10/345)
Ärende: Re: sorry
=================
Hey RICHARD!

Jun 25 21:03 06, RICHARD STEINER wrote to MAURICE KINAL:

 RS> A lot of the newer OS/2 programs we're seeing these days have either
 RS> been direct ports of Linux (POSIX) programs or are somewhat based on
 RS> one or more POSIX programs.  Not all of them, mind you, but most.

Again the Linux program part is debatable given that much of what people are
calling Linux programs are not unique to Linux.  Check out any BSD and you'll
see much the same as you do on any Linux distribution.  However I do get your
point and agree with you since I did check out the software offering of OS/2
shortly after it was sold off by IBM.

 RS> Because of that, many OS/2 users have become a lot more aware of the
 RS> potential that Linux programs have, and also how they generally work.

Aside from the kernel issue I'd say the new OS/2 is far more unixie then the
past IBM versions.  I'd conclude that is a good thing other then the lack of
kernel source.  ;-)

 RS> The OSes themselves are quite different, though.  Linux requires some
 RS> serious shifting of thought, mainly w.r.t. filesystems (Linux uses a
 RS> sane method for describing filesystems while OS/2 still uses classic
 RS> drive letters), and the GUIs are very different (though one can run
 RS> XFree86 under OS/2 with a mix of older window managers).

More then likely due to emulation and the simularity of the filesystem to DOS. 
I've heard of people porting X to DOS which I have yet to see in the real world
but have heard tales, although quite some years ago.  I haven't seen a pure DOS
box in over a decade now.

 RS> At least IBM's LVM provides some way to decouple logical and physical
 RS> drives under OS/2 -- everything can be placed under "C:" now 
 RS> regardless
 RS> of its actual location, which I guess is a start.

I suppose.  They can keep it.  :-)

 RS> I really wish JP Software would create a Linux shell.  Both bash and
 RS> zsh are nice enough shells, but 4OS2/4DOS have features I miss like
 RS> SELECT and various selection picklists.  Who says a shell can't have
 RS> optional fullscreen elements?  :-)

Not me.  I like shells especially purely terminal (console) ones as opposed to
gui based ones (xterm and clones).  The 'linux' term is the ultimate one
methinks.  Using it as we speak.

 RS> One of the main reasons folks use Linux is because it is open (or 
 RS> free)
 RS> in all senses of the word.  Because the source code is GPL'd, it 
 RS> cannot
 RS> be tied up by proprietary interests anymore.

That is definetly one reason I use it but the availablity of the kernel source
and the excellent support is the number one reason for me.  I did like FreeBSD
originally but found greater acceptance over the years from hardware
manufacturers to Linux and as the kernel development progressed the support for
different hardware greatly matured.

 RS> I think many in the OS2 community fully appreciate that freedom 
 RS> (given
 RS> IBM's gradual abandoning of the OS/2 platform), but freedom is not a
 RS> good replacement for raw functionality in all cases.

That too.  I think that is where Linux wins out over most others.

 RS> I still use OS/2 because I haven't yet found a Linux variant that 
 RS> does
 RS> everything I want.  But it's getting closer and closer.

Such as?  Perhaps you just don't know where to look.

 RS> I didn't use Solaris at home until the x86 version of Solaris 2.6 was
 RS> released.

There was no home version way back when.  Nobody could afford a Sparc, or at
least I couldn't.  Back then a barebones Sparc system was well over $20k
nevermind the software.

 RS> Yes, the ability to roll your own distro has always been a really 
 RS> neat
 RS> aspect of Linux.  That's why there are so many pre-rolled distros out
 RS> there.  It's neat to see the different approaches folks take.

Amen.  I think that is really healthy for all concerned including commercial
enterprise.

 MK>> I wouldn't have it any other way.

 RS> Neither would I.  :-)

As it says ...

Life is good,
Maurice

--- Msged/LNX 6.2.0
 * Origin: The Pointy Stick Society XVIII - Don't know what I want (1:140/13.1)