RIP OS/2. Long live osFree?
by Volker Weber
osFree project is an atempt to build an OpenSource OS/2 clone. At the present time the osFree project doesn't work with low-level parts of operating system like loader, kernel, and physical device drivers. As a pilot stage we are cloning selected OS/2 command line tools.
So where is the project currently?
Kernel Loader: In progress
Kernel: Not started
Base device drivers: Not started
Control Programing Interface: Not started
Command line tools: In progress
Classic REXX support: In progress (Regina REXX project)
System Object Model: Not started
Presentation Manager: In progress (FreePM project)
Presentation Manager tools: Not started
Display/adapter drivers: Not started
Multimedia: Not started
Workplace shell: Not started
Multimedia classes: Not started
They do have one screenshot. This looks like a long march ahead.
Comments
Why would anyone in their right mind want to clone an almost 20 year old OS when there are so many other alternatives out there?
Some people have way too much time on their hands...
Why oh why oh why? The "Good old days" just weren't that good you know ;-)
Carl, why would anyone in their right mind develop a *NIX clone when there were already so many other alternatives out there?
Carl: There are also people out there building something 'compatible' to windows called reactos. If there is something no one has ever done before someone will start doing it. ;-)
@3 Stefan that is a great question, but people aren't typically building a clone. A clone is identical to something that already exists, so not sure I agree they are *NIX clones, but more *NIX flavours.
A new flavour of OS/2 interesting? Maybe, but a clone? Makes no sense to me.
I guess we'll see whether this (if they get anywhere at all) will be a clone in the sense you describe. What would be a new flavour of OS/2? Something that just looks like OS/2 but with a different technology under the hood? Or something that sports a compatible API but offers new and extended features?
I imagine it would be OS/2 sans the Win32 piece. If I remember rightly this was one of the areas where IBM and MS fell out, with regards to licensing etc.
There is no way an open source OS, could include the Windows code!
