os2 subsystem

[tomleem]

Well, os/2 was most avanced than windows, warp 4 has a speech recognition system that work at 1995, the shell was the first (and the only one atm) true object oriented (everything is a true object, not like in windows nor linux), api was stable like a rock (almost every bank and critical system was running os/2 here untill some years ago), was faster than windows, the network stack was wonderfull when it was launched...
The architecture was similar to nt in some ways (well is more exact to say that nt was similar to os/2), but they selected diferent ways to evolve.
Also Os/2 was a true multitask os, with a good i/o scheduler.
But that was some years ago, now some parts are obsolete, but some other continue working wonderfull (take a look to ecomstation).
You can digg more about os/2 at os2 world and some other pages.

I totally agree with the above. I think eCS is the best version of OS/2. http://www.ecomstation.com (IMO).

OS/2 World is an excellent place to get OS/2 and eCS support.
http://www.os2world.com

I look forward to one day have a dual boot of eComStation and ReactOS. It would be great to have two great OS's on one pc.

[tomleem]

As there is ROS being a clone of WinNT, there are those wishing to clone OS/2; OSFree http://www.osfree.org (based on the L4 kernel) and Voyager http://voyager.netlabs.org . There is a group that is porting K42 from IBM.
http://domino.research.ibm.com/comm/research_projects.nsf/pages/k42.index.html
Perhaps one of the projects to clone OS/2 could be used to create an OS/2 subsystem for ROS? (a future thing for sure after 1.0 is created).

[therrydicule]

Nor IBM or MS owns the actual os/2 code, now the code is owned by the autors of eComStation (serenity systems -> www.ecomstation.org). they buy os/2 code some time ago to IBM and continue the development where IBM left it. They have just released the eComStation 1.2.
Anyway, i've just singed

Well, I got some new...

Yes, I have register just for this:

eComStation, well Serenity Systems start to work has an OEM company for IBM... And get, in some way, some right over OS/2 as an OE so, the right is devised into much more then just IBM+Microsoft: Serenity Systems have also some part.

And, eComStation will be developed and sold as long as it's good business from Serenity Systems...

And, I could said that the right over OS/2 is a real mess.
But, since hacker don't really care of this system, it is really safe.



Sorry for the Up.

[tomleem]

Using an operating system that not used by most makes it safer since (most) hackers would think it is not worth the effort.

[tomleem]

Since IBM will not open source OS/2 (there was at least two petitions to do so but IBM will not even open source parts of it), there is an interest in an open source clone of OS/2 or an alternative that one can use in place of OS/2.
http://www.os2world.com

[oiaohm]

tomleem please don't state that trash. Note crackers is the sub class of hackers that breach OS's. Please don't bundle them like the media stupidly does..

Most used does not make it the biggest cracker target. Its how the OS handles flaws is a another major issue.

Linux Viruses die out in about 6 months max. I do mean die out. Flaws they use to replicate is removed. Note this is without the OS running a Anti-Virus.

Problem with anti-virus and software containment programs they are bandade fixes to security issues. So all crackers have to do is work out how to get past them and they can use the same old flaw over and over again. This is a major reason why windows is the biggest target.

Note when apache had 70 percent of the web market IIS was still more breached. Since then IIS has lifted there game on secuirty issues and even that IIS market has expanded its breaches have reduced.

So market is basically a minor factor in security. Its just a common excuse for poor security standards.

Most critical thing is that crackers have to find new flaws. Finding new flaws is a slow process. Please note Microsoft holds the record for a actively used OS with a known unpatched flaw for the longest time. Its 10 years. It is MS tcp/ip stack that was only replaced in vista. Scarry thing all tcp/ip stacks were based on the same code from berkley that was flawed. OS/2 had it patched in 3 months, Linux 6 months(note not large market at time patch cycle is faster now) and all bar Microsoft was done in 2 years of the flaw being found. Even worse Berkley documented how to fix it. It would have taken programmer less than a day to fix in windows. Linux took a programmer less than 10 mins to create the patch and submit it.

Microsoft Windows being a Security personal nightmares has nothing to do with market. We are always fearing what else they are hiding.

os2 is a solid design better maintained than what MS Windows is so high security systems took the better option at time that is all. There are lots of high security systems taken Linux these days for similar reasons.

Other thing tomleem there are auto attack kits that do exist and using old not cared for OS's even if you are just one you could be a sitting duck to a well setup cracker. Since kit ids OS and uses the most suitable crack. Reason why security personal call no longer maintained OS's dead. Using them you are dead meat. Note they can be just script kiddies to they don't even need to be a top notch hacker to crack a dead OS.

[Mrkaras]

I didn't see tomleem mention linux. linux and Windows are both very popular, it would be easy to fine a PC running either one. OS2 in not anywhere near as popular, it would be vastly harder to find, ofcourse that will have an effect on people searching to crack it. obviously that will not eliminate all people and automated attacks but it is not a very popular OS, both Windows and linux are. And yes the popularity of Windows vs linux probably has very little impact, the brand on the box is a much larger factor.

[oiaohm]

Mrkaras you are underestimating crackers again. There are may thousand of illegal download of os/2 warp and related each day.

You can bet at least some of those are going into the hands of crackers. OS's don't magically die because the are discontinualed and crackers don't magically stop working on them. Even more scary viruses don't even be stopped being written for them. No longer supported OS is still a sitting duck because security flaws are not being patched any more.

Last C64 virus written and release I know was only 2 years ago. And that OS was declared dead long ago. Of course infected dead OS's normally have less over all effect than live common OS's. Its just a good myth that using a dead status OS makes you safe.

Searching to crack a dead OS is simpler than a live one. As long as the crack was done after the last updates of the OS you know it will work. Some dead OS's have a few thousand back doors that are unpatched. Its basically a exploit me sign using a OS in dead class.

Do you not think that OS/2 since of its banking use would still would not be a prime target for the more experienced. Just because it does not have desktop market share does not move it out of the eyes of attackers. Even if its not a prime OS any more there are some crackers who would take finding and breaking into a dead OS as a notch on the belt of beaten OS's. Safety in small numbers just does not happen.

Market share alone does not explain Windows attack ratio. Every year you hear that its going to be the year of a major virus out break on Linux and it never happens. Reason the numbers of virus appearing on linux are the right numbers. Basically if windows had the right numbers for its market share it should only be 100 viruses a year max. OS/2 is would be predicted to be about 1 virus every 3 years. Only one problem no patches to prevent operation.

There was a honey pot test with old server os's in about 2004. All the old OS's were breached inside 6 mins of coming online. they were not protected by firewalls other than there own but it proved past a question that even using a 16 year old OS with no modern day relations does not make you safe. If anything it makes you a sitting duck. Upto date patched OS's lasted longer. Note the 16 year old OS had no known usage any more so was expected to be left untouched. That is far lower status that OS/2 warp. If he has honey pot tests showing that OS/2 is being left alone for some reason then he has grounds for saying that its safer else its just a myth.

[forart]

What does os2 could do that windows couldn't? OS2 seems to be a obsolete OS prior to win95, isn't it?

...then you need to study OSes history a bit more, IMHO...

The development of OS/2 began when IBM and Microsoft signed the Joint Development Agreement in August 1985.
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With proportional fonts, it was a precursor of the later Windows 3.0 look.
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In the end, Microsoft decided to recast NT OS/2 3.0 as Windows NT, leaving all future OS/2 development to IBM.

[tomleem]

I was unaware that thousands are downloading OS/2 illegally. If it is so obsolete, why do they bother? OS/2 is being updated in the form of eComStation. http://www.ecomstation.com They are working on version 2.0. It is not as obsolete as one would think.

I have Norton anti-vyrus on my eCS computers.

If OS/2 is obsolete, why would any one want to crack it? Would it not be like breaking into a bank that had been closed for years?

[oiaohm]

You just asking the question I have tomleem. Sometimes looking at a prior form of a OS can find some weakness in the more modern one that is covered by a poor patch.

eCS and OS/2 are the same class. Problem is longer term breakers have a huge list of instant door keys they only come sure things once no more OS updates are being run or other effective protection systems beening added.

Some just want to break every OS in existence too tomleem. This is the problem. I am not sure how many are going where. Good or Bad. Some people are OS collectors as well. If those numbers are purely collectors it harmless.

[tomleem]

What does os2 could do that windows couldn't? OS2 seems to be a obsolete OS prior to win95, isn't it?

...then you need to study OSes history a bit more, IMHO...

The development of OS/2 began when IBM and Microsoft signed the Joint Development Agreement in August 1985.
.
.
.
With proportional fonts, it was a precursor of the later Windows 3.0 look.
.
.
.
In the end, Microsoft decided to recast NT OS/2 3.0 as Windows NT, leaving all future OS/2 development to IBM.

http://www.osfree.org/doku/en:os_2
Here is a good place to learn some OS/2 history.