Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- en:about [2013/03/15 01:26] – [Why L4?] valerius
+++ en:about [2016/03/30 20:17] – [Why not migrate to other modern OS?] valerius
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ===== About osFree =====
 ==== What is osFree? ====
-osFree is a [[wp>FOSS| free and open-source]] operating system based on the [[wp>L4_microkernel_family|L4]] microkernel aiming to be binary compatible with [[wp>OS/2|OS/2]] (ia32). Also, a parallel coexistence of severalalienOS API's is possible.
+osFree is a [[wp>FOSS| free and open-source]] operating system project based on the [[wp>L4_microkernel_family|L4]] microkernel aiming to be binary compatible with [[wp>OS/2|OS/2]] (ia32). Also, a parallel coexistence of several "alien" OS API's is possible.
 ==== Why use a microkernel ====
@@ Line 27: / Line 26: @@
 ==== Why re-implement OS/2? ====
-OS/2 has one of the most stable, robust and high-performance kernels. Written in assembly language, it is highly-optimized and uses all i386 architecture features very extensively. It's modular design allows to easy replace components with more featured/less resource-eating/cut off GUI, or customize system to fit user preferences. It is highly configurable. We like its compact and clean API, it's easy to use and intuitive powerful true [[wp>Workplace_Shell|object-oriented user interface]]. It's uses one of the best general purpose scripting languages named [[wp>REXX]] as operating system scripting service with API available to any application. OS/2 was advertised by IBM as "DOS better than DOS and Windows better than Windows". It is true -- it's VDM was the best ever existing. And not only DOS/Windows. It had Java and XFree86 support very powerful too.  So, we started loving OS/2 as powerful integration platform on top of single desktop. It has been used by marginals and non-conformists for years and always had its own way. We want to continue following this way :) We can sleep peacefully knowing that it is not popular between hackers and virus writers, they like mainstream.. But we can't stay this way -- starting at December 2006, IBM management decided to kill OS/2 and OS/2 community left with aging system without kernel sources and with fading driver support. The driver  support becomes more bad each time, and almost all new drivers are ports from Linux. [[Petitions]] to IBM were failed as well. Nevertheless, we want to continue our experience with OS/2. The most necessary task is kernel rewriting. We're always curious regarding IBM's experiments with OS/2 on top of microkernel. We read a readbook about it. So, we meet with enthusiasm the suggestion to use L4 as a base. So this project was started.
+OS/2 has one of the most stable, robust and high-performance kernels. Written in assembly language, it is highly-optimized and uses all i386 architecture features very extensively. It's modular design allows to easy replace components with more featured/less resource-eating/cut off GUI, or customize system to fit user preferences. It is highly configurable. We like its compact and clean API, it's easy to use and intuitive powerful true [[wp>Workplace_Shell|object-oriented user interface]]. It's uses one of the best general purpose scripting languages named [[wp>REXX]] as operating system scripting service with API available to any application. OS/2 was advertised by IBM as "DOS better than DOS and Windows better than Windows". It is true -- it's VDM was the best ever existing. And not only DOS/Windows. It had Java and XFree86 support very powerful too.  So, we started loving OS/2 as powerful integration platform on top of single desktop. It has been used by marginals and non-conformists for years and always had its own way. We want to continue following this way :) We can sleep peacefully knowing that it is not popular between hackers and virus writers, they like mainstream.. But we can't stay this way -- starting at December 2006, IBM management decided to kill OS/2 and OS/2 community left with aging system without kernel sources and with fading driver support. The driver  support becomes more bad each time, and almost all new drivers are ports from Linux. [[Petitions]] to IBM were failed as well. Nevertheless, we want to continue our experience with OS/2. The most necessary task is kernel rewriting. Here, it must be noted that OS/2 still has 32-bit kernel. Existing kernel, even if having sources, is not portable to other architectures, the main of which are ARM and x86_64. Modern software is bloating quickly, so we will encounter the 32-bits OS limitations, the main of which is impossibility to use more than 4 GB of RAM. Now common web browsers and offices eat up gigabytes of RAM easily. Also. one of the main RAM consumers are VM's. And we should not forget about positioning of OS/2 as Integration platform (TM), including VM's too. Because of that, OS/2 needs a new kernel. We've always curious regarding IBM's experiments with OS/2 on top of microkernel. We read a {{downloads:docs:os2power.pdf|redbook}} about it. So, we meet with enthusiasm the suggestion to use L4 as a base. So this project was started.
 ==== Why not migrate to other modern OS? ====
-IBM, Netlabs and other companies tries to move users to another OS like GNU/Linux, BSD, Windows and others. We agree that TCO of current OS/2 become bigger and bigger for home users. In servers area OS/2 also become obsolete (but still stable and mature). But we like approaches of IBM according design of OS. We like it **designed**, not only developed. It is easy to use. It's API is small and clear. We want to continue work and program with OS/2.
+IBM, Netlabs and other companies tries to move users to another OS like GNU/Linux, BSD, Windows and others. We agree that TCO of current OS/2 become bigger and bigger for home users. In servers area OS/2 also become obsolete (but still stable and mature). But we like approaches of IBM according design of OS. We like it **designed**, not only developed. It is easy to use. It's API is small and clean. We want to continue work and program with OS/2.
 ==== Compatible ====