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Re: MISC-d Digest V00 #12


Wayne Morellini writes:

 > -Why would one want to know anything about zombie vapourware? I lost my
 > 
 > Toas' OS is not vapor ware and still has features that Linux people could 

I know all about TaOS. I used to push them after the Byte series
articles wherever I could. Nifty technology, will never make it
because their they have no clue about business, and even if they had a
ghost of a clue now it would be too late anyway, since now OpenSource
OSses are out there.

 > --- themselves for.  Amiga though working on some nifty stuff keeps getting 
 > interference, court challenges, and take overs that has held it up for 6-8 
 > years, thanks a lot Guys.
 > 
 > -proprietary) system whatsoever. Then why not BeOS (which has no point
 > either, but be my guest).
 > BEOS has been a shipping product for a long time too.  Is the Palm OS vapor 
 > ware? what abour Linux, doesn't make sense.
 
Anything which doesn't come with source is essentially dead. Free
binaries alone don't cut it anymore. I'm surprised so few people are
yet grokking it.
 
 > -Well, check out the IOpener list archives. This is kernel, a couple of
 > -binaries, GUI and apps. Nothing else. So why bother?
 > 
 > Well Windows doesn't ship with much either, you have to get the developement 
 > systems (at QNX even).
 
Which is why I don't bother with Windows. Not only does the OS suck,
it doesn't come with any applications nor languages. I'd rather invest 
my $$$ in hardware.
 
 > Funny how does that apply to Palm over Windows CE.  Apart from that QNX is 
 > one of the most licensed embedded OS systems in the world.  Maybe your IBM 
 > bank teller machine still uses it.
 
PalmOS is dead as is WindowsCE. It may take time, but I'm pretty
certain that Yopi thing won't remain single. What the teller machine
uses is of little relevance, because 1) I can't control it 2) I don't
really care what it is, as long as I don't have to buy it and to fix
it when it's broken (I greatly resent when users ask me to fix their
Windows systems which are starting to run slow, yet don't want me to
wipe everything and reinstall from scratch/backup. Well, duh.).
 
 > It is fairly hot, some pretty neat and fast features at small size and 
 > pattened graphic software concepts.  Plus they were allready doing it for 
 > the multimedia thing when the Plug was pulled on by PC people in preference 
 > for Linux (which then lead to the cancellation of the Amiga, sell off and 
 > change over to Toas's OS etc).

Sure, but here and now it will never gain a market share beyond a few percent.

 > -Technical superiority doesn't matter anymore. Availability of source
 > -and distribution copyright decides everything these days, because on
 > -the long run it also ensures technical superiority. Linux is highly
 > 
 > Yes in the long run, patents run out and Linux can catch up, that is 
 > correct.  But on the matter of superiority, I am very frustrated -with my 

The good part of Linux is that it is noncommercial, and hence not
subject to lawsuits. I don't care a fig what is patented/copyrighted
or not, because I can implement it and put it on the web. Especially
with budding new anonymous distribution infrastructure publishing
becomes irreversible, since not giving you a point of attack in
meat/legalspace. It is quite amusing to see the CEOs and lawyers
scurry, and not get anywhere.

 > PC, performance and quality suffers (not mentioning my recent problem with 
 > registering unmade mouse clicks while I'm scanning menues).  The software 
 > and the architecher of the PC, a problem.  Custom hardware (below good until 
 > PC and software redesigned.
 > 
 >  > with the exception of Windows and QNX, no one in their right mind would
 >  > release a new operating system under closed source.  Windows can do it
 > 
 > Palm
 
It's a small-footprint OS. Nothing that Linux can't handle.
 
 >  > time.  It's a combination of the Commodore effect with the right product
 >  > being at the wrong place/time.
 > 
 > Well Commodore could have kept investing in the Amiga, they had it over 
 > Apple, but Apple invested.
 
It's all history now.

 >  > Furthermore, the new Amigas being designed are going to be based on open
 >  > standards.  While a proprietary motherboard will likely be used (after
 >  > all, how many people do YOU know of who are raking in the cash selling
 >  > CHRP PowerPC motherboards or Crusoe borads that fit the ATX
 >  > specification?), they will use industry standard expansion slots, such as
 >  > PCI, Firewire, and USB.
 > 
 > Funny the new Amiga was going to be available in a Crusoe ATX motherboard 
 > with standard pc parts too (including new generation ATI chipset).

I call a standard motherboard what Asus sells in quantities. So far,
Transmeta's offering is not even a standard: it's vaporware.
 
 >  > The operating system that is going to be used will almost certainly be
 >  > POSIX compliant, so porting applications to it will be trivial.  An X
 >  > server is likely to be a given as well.  Even device drivers.  And yes,
 > 
 > -So what's the difference to a vanilla Linux box, just a realtime
 > -nanokernel? They've got no chance at all, even if they were entering
 > -the market now.
 > Great Object oriented real time Kernal with great efficencies.
 > 
 > - I'm a bozo, so I stick with Linux. It has kept me very happy all these
 > years.
 > 
 > In case other people haven't realised, QNX and the Toas OS (too some extent) 
 > have a very Misc flavour about them.  They are practically minimial and 

Which is probably why they are doomed.

 > scallable, OO, fast efficent etc.  Maybe Linux will change direction to this 
 > one day.  Ohh Be-OS is available as a free download from their site.  You 

It will, when the need arises. BeOS is not free, just the download
is. I will not invest in anything which can be pulled from under me,
either by stopping development or pulling binaries off the net.

 > only need good drivers for good hardware, you can get Dev sys at cheap price 
 > and develope better drivers.  As far as changing the OS code, well it's 
 > pretty good as it is why change it, their on top of it.  Linux has not quiet 
 > caught up yet.

Users are not purists, they are users. 98% could hardly care less
about the architecture, as long as the system more or less does what
it is expected to do. If you don't believe me, ask a few Windows users.