osfree.org

#1

From: "mailjmase" <mail@...>
Date: Mon Feb 18, 2002 9:45 pm
Subject: osFree Technology Preview released


osFree, a noncommercial OS/2-compatible system, sees the light of day.
English and Russian versions are available at Hobbes. The project invites new
participants, below is the manifesto of osFree team:

The osFree team is looking for developers that could
help us build an opensource OS/2 clone.


The OS/2 operating system has served us well during the years
we have used it. OS/2 still has its strengths but sadly the
developer (IBM) has decided that the strengths do not count
anymore. In the end of 2002 all "free" (IBM calls SWC free!)
updates will be terminated and in the end of 2006 the plug
will finally be pulled.

Soon we will have two choices, migrate to another OS or
keep running something that will soon turn really old.
eComStation may be a dark horse here, but they are still
dependant of what IBM will allow them to do.

Or, is there another possibility ?

In the recent years, open source has made its way into the
mainstream computing world. It would be a perfect solution
to our problems. Anyone can use the OS and noone will have
the power to stop anyone else from enhancing it.

IBM has several times been asked to opensource OS/2 but to
no avail. Their reasons have been more or less muddy.

Therefore we propose a mission to clone OS/2!

As you have seen we have already gained some ground with our
osFree Technology Preview Edition but we need your help to:

- Implement more, lots of stuff needs to be written: Networking,
more drivers, Presentation Manager, WPS and so on.

- Create a good way to share the code (CVS, build environment)
and transform the existing code to an opensource compiler.

- Create our own SDK/DDK.

- Build documentation both for developers and end users.


If you are interested, please join our yahoogroup
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osFree/) and tell us how you can help !

/The osFree team

#2

From: "timur_tabi" <timur@...>
Date: Mon Feb 18, 2002 11:52 pm
Subject: Huh? timur_tabi

Could someone explain to me where this thing came from? Who wrote it?
I refuse to believe that someone just rewrote all these parts of the
OS/2 base operating system.

#3

From: "martiniturbide1" <martiniturbide1@...>
Date: Mon Feb 18, 2002 11:58 pm
Subject: Re: Huh? martiniturbide1
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..well, i want to know the same thing. Im donwloading the files right
now to check it.

Martin



--- In osFree@y..., "timur_tabi" <timur@t...> wrote:
> Could someone explain to me where this thing came from? Who wrote
it?
> I refuse to believe that someone just rewrote all these parts of
the
> OS/2 base operating system.

#4

From: "JMA" <mail@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 2:11 am
Subject: config.sys mailjmase
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Hi all !

I just installed osFree into a VPC "box" and it went OK. But I cannot get osFree
to give me a
cdrom drive. I'm unsure if this osFree or my setup.

My config.sys:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------
IFS=C:OS2HPFS.IFS /C:64
PROTSHELL=C:OS2CMD.EXE
LIBPATH=.;C:OS2DLL;C:OS2INSTALL;
SET PATH=C:OS2;C:OS2SYSTEM;C:OS2INSTALL
SET DPATH=C:OS2;C:OS2SYSTEM;C:OS2INSTALL
REM **MISC_SETTINGS***************************
DEVICE=C:OS2BOOTTESTCFG.SYS
REM **MISC_SETTINGS***************************
BUFFERS=32
IOPL=YES
DISKCACHE=D2,LW
MEMMAN=SWAP,PROTECT
SWAPPATH=C:OS2SYSTEM 2048 2048
SET KEYS=ON
PROTECTONLY=YES
REM **KEYBOARD_AND_NLS************************
baseDEV=IBMKBD.SYS
COUNTRY=046,C:OS2SYSTEMCOUNTRY.SYS
CODEPAGE=850,437
DEVINFO=KBD,SV,C:OS2KEYBOARD.DCP
REM **VIDEO***********************************
DEVINFO=SCR,VGA,C:OS2BOOTVIOTBL.DCP
SET video_devices=vio_vga
SET vio_vga=device(bvhvga)
REM **MOUSE***********************************
DEVICE=C:OS2BOOTMOUSE.SYS
REM **FLOPPY_AND_HD***************************
baseDEV=IBM1FLPY.ADD
baseDEV=IBM1S506.ADD /!SHUTDOWN
baseDEV=OS2DASD.DMD
REM baseDEV=IBM2SCSI.ADD
REM **CD_SUPPORT******************************
baseDEV=IBMATAPI.FLT
baseDEV=IBMIDECD.FLT
IFS=C:OS2BOOTCDFS.IFS /Q
REM ******************************************
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------
And here is a list over the files I installed and where they are:

C:OS2 <DIR>
C:config.sys
C:os2dump
C:os2krnl
C:os2ldr
C:os2ldr.msg
C:os2logo
C:OS2BOOT <DIR>
C:OS2DLL <DIR>
C:OS2INSTALL <DIR>
C:OS2SYSTEM <DIR>
C:OS2ansi.exe
C:OS2attrib.exe
C:OS2cache.exe
C:OS2chkdsk.com
C:OS2cmd.exe
C:OS2comp.com
C:OS2eautil.exe
C:OS2fdisk.com
C:OS2find.exe
C:OS2format.com
C:OS2hpfs.ifs
C:OS2implib.exe
C:OS2keyboard.dcp
C:OS2label.com
C:OS2link.exe
C:OS2link386.exe
C:OS2mode.com
C:OS2more.com
C:OS2pack.exe
C:OS2recover.com
C:OS2setboot.exe
C:OS2sort.exe
C:OS2unpack.exe
C:OS2xcopy.exe
C:OS2BOOTcdfs.ifs
C:OS2BOOTclock01.sys
C:OS2BOOTclock02.sys
C:OS2BOOTcom.sys
C:OS2BOOTconfig.sys
C:OS2BOOTibm1flpy.add
C:OS2BOOTibm1s506.add
C:OS2BOOTibm2adsk.add
C:OS2BOOTibm2flpy.add
C:OS2BOOTIBM2IDE.ADD
C:OS2BOOTibm2scsi.add
C:OS2BOOTibmatapi.flt
C:OS2BOOTibmidecd.flt
C:OS2BOOTibmkbd.sys
C:OS2BOOTkbdbase.sys
C:OS2BOOTlockdrv.flt
C:OS2BOOTmouse.sys
C:OS2BOOToptical.dmd
C:OS2BOOTos2aspi.dmd
C:OS2BOOTos2cdrom.dmd
C:OS2BOOTos2dasd.dmd
C:OS2BOOTos2scsi.dmd
C:OS2BOOTPAR1284.SYS
C:OS2BOOTPENDD.SYS
C:OS2BOOTprint01.sys
C:OS2BOOTprint02.sys
C:OS2BOOTresource.sys
C:OS2BOOTscreen01.sys
C:OS2BOOTscreen02.sys
C:OS2BOOTtestcfg.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbaudio.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbcom.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbd.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbhid.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbkbd.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbmouse.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbuhcd.sys
C:OS2BOOTusbuhcd2.sys
C:OS2BOOTvdisk.sys
C:OS2BOOTviotbl.dcp
C:OS2DLLBDCALLS.DLL
C:OS2DLLbkscalls.dll
C:OS2DLLbmscalls.dll
C:OS2DLLbvhinit.dll
C:OS2DLLBVHVGA.DLL
C:OS2DLLbvscalls.dll
C:OS2DLLdoscall1.dll
C:OS2DLLkbdcalls.dll
C:OS2DLLmoncalls.dll
C:OS2DLLmoucalls.dll
C:OS2DLLmsg.dll
C:OS2DLLnampipes.dll
C:OS2DLLnls.dll
C:OS2DLLnpxemltr.dll
C:OS2DLLos2char.dll
C:OS2DLLquecalls.dll
C:OS2DLLsesmgr.dll
C:OS2DLLstartlw.dll
C:OS2DLLucdfs.dll
C:OS2DLLuhpfs.dll
C:OS2DLLviocalls.dll
C:OS2INSTALLBOOTDISK <DIR>
C:OS2INSTALLsyslevel.os2
C:OS2INSTALLBOOTDISKsysinstx.com
C:OS2SYSTEMcountry.sys
C:OS2SYSTEMharderr.exe
C:OS2SYSTEMHYBERNAT.EXE
C:OS2SYSTEMHYBERSET.EXE
C:OS2SYSTEMoso001.msg
C:OS2SYSTEMoso001h.msg
C:OS2SYSTEMPOPMSG.MSG
C:OS2SYSTEMSWAPPER.DAT
C:OS2SYSTEMucdfs.msg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------



Sincerely

JMA
Development and Consulting

John Martin , jma@...
==================================
Website: http://www.jma.se/
email: mail@...
Phone: 46-(0)70-6278410
==================================

#5

From: "Michal Necasek" <michaln@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 2:17 am
Subject: Re: config.sys michalnec
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On Tue, 19 Feb 2002 00:11:35 +0100, JMA wrote:

Hi,

>I just installed osFree into a VPC "box" and it went OK. But I
>cannot get osFree to give me a cdrom drive. I'm unsure if this
>osFree or my setup.
>
If this osFree thing is anything like OS/2, you'll need this:

DEVICE=C:OS2BOOTOS2CDROM.DMD /Q


Michal

#6

From: "JMA" <mail@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 2:44 am
Subject: Re: config.sys mailjmase
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On Mon, 18 Feb 2002 15:17:46 -0800 (PST), Michal Necasek wrote:

>On Tue, 19 Feb 2002 00:11:35 +0100, JMA wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
>>I just installed osFree into a VPC "box" and it went OK. But I
>>cannot get osFree to give me a cdrom drive. I'm unsure if this
>>osFree or my setup.
>>
> If this osFree thing is anything like OS/2, you'll need this:
>
> DEVICE=C:OS2BOOTOS2CDROM.DMD /Q
>
Thanks, did the trick.
Seems its enough like OS/2 or better.




Sincerely

JMA
Development and Consulting

John Martin , jma@...
==================================
Website: http://www.jma.se/
email: mail@...
Phone: 46-(0)70-6278410
==================================

#7

From: "criguada" <criguada@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 3:14 am
Subject: Re: config.sys criguada
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Hi all,

--- In osFree@y..., "JMA" <mail@j...> wrote:
> Hi all !
>
> I just installed osFree into a VPC "box" and it went OK. But I
cannot get osFree to give me a
> cdrom drive. I'm unsure if this osFree or my setup.

mmhhh...I tried the same thing right now, after finishing the download.
I installed the thing in VPS, but the instructions don't seem to be
accurate.. the first boot went bad due to a missing OS2DASD.DMD.
I had to fiddle a bit with the disk images to get it, but after
copying it, it booted. GREAT!!

Hey this is incredible! Is it real?

Bye

Cris

#8

From: "robataurora" <lists@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 5:36 am
Subject: Looks like it is built from IBM OEM OS/2 Source Code robataurora
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The different files are much smaller than their IBM
counterparts, and are marked as OEM versions, but are
remarkably similar internally to the IBM versions, at least
for the device drivers. Even if the intent was to clone the
IBM products, I wouldn't think they would be that similar
internally. I very much doubt these are built from original
non-IBM sources, it looks to me like someone has gotten a hold
of at least some of the OS/2 source code.

If you do a BLDLEVEL on some of the files, it says OEM 9.23.

[F:dltemp]bldlevel a:os2krnli
Build Level Display Facility Version 5.59.105 Mar 15 1999
(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 1993-1999
Signature: @#OEM:9.23#@ IBM OS/2 Kernel
Vendor: OEM
Revision: 9.23
File Version: 9.23
Description: IBM OS/2 Kernel

A clone of OS/2 is a great idea, but also a shockingly large
amount of work, even the base kernel and driver set found here
would take a small group of programmers a very long time to
do.

#9

From: "JMA" <mail@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 11:17 am
Subject: Re: Looks like it is built from IBM OEM OS/2 Source Code mailjmase
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On Tue, 19 Feb 2002 02:36:16 -0000, robataurora wrote:

>The different files are much smaller than their IBM
>counterparts, and are marked as OEM versions, but are
>remarkably similar internally to the IBM versions, at least
>for the device drivers.
>
>Even if the intent was to clone the
>IBM products, I wouldn't think they would be that similar
>internally. I very much doubt these are built from original
>non-IBM sources, it looks to me like someone has gotten a hold
>of at least some of the OS/2 source code.
>
What is the "IBM OEM OS/2 source" ?
I'm I wrong in assuming you have some sort of access to it ?

I want to clarify one thing before I continue.
I'm not part of the development team and my part of this is to help them
publish their work. I dont even know them that well.

If they actually have access to some "IBM OEM OS/2 source" I'd be
quite happily surprised since this would probably mean a faster
developed and a more compatible osFree )

But if, then why only release a limited set of kernel files and such a
long time after Warp 4 was released. Had they access to the code
they would have released a full product and much sooner, I'm I wrong ??

I'd assume the developers would be very interested of any OS/2
sourcecode to peek into. So if you or anyone else have access to the
"IBM OEM OS/2 source", dont hold on to it !

Btw, I can agree that they are quite compatible and I suspect that they
may have used disassembly tools for some things. That may be in the
gray zone but I have a hard time condeming anyone trying to breaching
"IBM copyright" since it seems to be the only way to find a future for OS/2.
I wonder how much GNU code are really original...

>If you do a BLDLEVEL on some of the files, it says OEM 9.23.
>
>[F:dltemp]bldlevel a:os2krnli
>Build Level Display Facility Version 5.59.105 Mar 15 1999
>(C) Copyright IBM Corporation 1993-1999
>Signature: @#OEM:9.23#@ IBM OS/2 Kernel
>Vendor: OEM
>Revision: 9.23
>File Version: 9.23
>Description: IBM OS/2 Kernel
>
And some files have another build level, but I asked about the buildlevel
thingie and I was told that it was impossible to run original Warp 4 (PM/WPS)
ontop of osFree unless it pretended to be the real thing.

>A clone of OS/2 is a great idea, but also a shockingly large
>amount of work, even the base kernel and driver set found here
>would take a small group of programmers a very long time to
>do.
>
While I dont contradict that it would take lots of work I dont share the notion
that
developing operating systems and such as magic.
This notion is a myth among developers that have never done assembler or
lowlevel development. Building apps like a word processor or a compiler is
as hard or worse than a base os.




Sincerely

JMA
Development and Consulting

John Martin , jma@...
==================================
Website: http://www.jma.se/
email: mail@...
Phone: 46-(0)70-6278410
==================================

#10

From: "achimha" <achimha@...>
Date: Tue Feb 19, 2002 11:46 am
Subject: 100% stolen - no doubt! achimha
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Well, anyone with a thorough technical understanding and knowledge
about OS/2 knows everything about this when looking at it for a
minute. I admire the maintainer for his abilities and time to get the
9.023 sources compiling that have been leaked some years ago. It
definitely wasn't easy.

Too bad that this is 100% illegal and will lead to nowhere. Too bad
that only these stone-aged sources have been leaked. Too bad that a
lot is missing from the leaked sources.

I fear that .ru people are pretty safe from legal action. But those
of you in .se etc. and supporting this theft should better be
careful. It's not only IBM's intellectual property that has been
stolen but also the IP that IBM has licensed from third parties. This
makes it much more likely that IBM will take legal action.

Not looking at the legal aspects, it's also technical nonsense.
OS/2's design is way outdated and its implementation is ugly. If
there are really skilled developers with enthuiasm and time, then it
should be done differently. A developer of ours has worked on a
microkernel architecture with an OS/2 server (and Linux personality)
for research purposes. You should rather go into this direction...

---
Achim Hasenmueller
achimha@...