[ros-dev] Trying to push ideas (again:) )

Thu Sep 25 14:57:13 CEST 2008

My bad.  I only noticed the date after I'd sent it off.

My humble apologies.

Wesley Parish

On Thursday 25 September 2008 09:18, Alexandru Lovin wrote:
> I wrote that e-mail ONE YEAR ago. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ?!
>
> Since then, I kinda found a way to solve them without being cursed at by
> ROS devs (well, yeah, they didn't actually curse). The ROS Media Center
> would combine Mediaportal (stability), VirtualDub(video editing),
> Dscaler(many useful filters) and MythTV(cluster-capable). All open-source.
> This doesn't need to be the ROS media center, just a cool software
> application. Maybe I'll be able to convince the Alter team (alter.org.ua)
> to do it someday.
>
> VxD compatibility is not needed - thank GreatLord and oiaohm for
> illuminating me - because probably all the devices with Win '95-only
> drivers also had NT 4.0 drivers. End of story.
> 16-bit operation is not needed, either. After the OS gets really stable and
> feature-rich, I guess it'll be a fun challenge to make it run on a 386,
> maybe even a 486. Operating on a 286 can be done as well, but I'm not going
> to say how, because most developers look at it as it's evil alien
> technology that nobody needs, or even worse, that would destroy the OS or
> something. I asked some of them and they sounded reserved to say the least.
> However, being able to run 16-bit Windows applications should be done, but
> I think that's really not the current issue right now.
>
> Glide compatibility on non-3dfx hardware: I will be able to convince the
> guy making Glidos to give the ROS team the sources. That's for DOS Glide
> games and generally DOS games as well. For Windows Glide games there are
> open source projects already underway, as far as I know.
>
> Descent: there's a Windows port out there, Dxx-rebirth that managed to do
> exactly the music files thing. I bothered them for a while, but they did
> it.
>
> I'm watching and waiting for whenever I can voice out requests such as
> these. A friend has some sort of design doc for a very functional telephony
> application that would manage every feature modems have, manage faxes,
> dial-up connections etc. But the devs are still working on the networking
> part and I assume they really don't want to get into telephony right now.
>
> But right now people are fixing bugs and updating the OS. I really can't
> insist with such "advanced" issues.
>
> And by the way, I can't code. Nor do I have Stefan Ginsberg's amount of
> time on my hands, to stick around and learn how to. I can work in the
> graphics but mf is kinda always closed-doors and seemingly unwilling to
> start the work on re-doing the interface, due to reasons I'm unaware of.
> And it's not my business as to what they actually are, so I can't really
> contribute right now.
>
> On Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 12:13 PM, Wesley Parish
>
> <wes.parish at paradise.net.nz>wrote:
> > On Saturday 15 September 2007 05:16, James Tabor wrote:
> > > Hi!
> > >
> > > Alexandru Lovin wrote:
> > > > Hello everyone,
> > > >
> > > > Aleksey suggested that I discuss this here, on the mailing list.
> >
> > <snip
> >
> >  > > 7. Running on 16-bit systems like 286/386/486 in a "ReactOS
> >
> > Essentials"
> >
> > > > (equivalent to a stripped-down XP) mode *
> > > > *
> > > >
> > > > It should be the same operating system, but in 16-bit mode only.
> > > > That's an ideal scenario and I'm sure it cannot be done no matter how
> > > > good the programmers are. So, what can someone do on a 286 ? Listen
> > > > to mp3's ?
> >
> > No
> >
> > > > way. Listen to audio CD's, yes, and hopefully digital playback, too.
> > > > Watch TV ? Yes, if the user can find an ISA TV tuner (ATI made such
> > > > tuners, but they required a PCI ATI video card, and if you have PCI
> > > > why not get a better tuner?). Record TV shows ? Not on that kind of
> > > > computer. Browse the internet ? That may be possible, with some
> > > > really outdated, 16-bit browser, like the Internet Explorer for
> > > > Windows 3.1. And I don't know how many sites will work on it. Play
> > > > games ? Yes, either old DOS or Windows 3.1 ones or the ones that come
> > > > with ReactOS, written in 16-bit especially for this mode. Join a hive
> > > > as either
> >
> > master
> >
> > > > or slave ? Hopefully it will be possible, but probably in the year
> > > > 2015 at least. Use office applications ? Sure, if the user can find
> > > > that
> >
> > last
> >
> > > > Microsoft Office or maybe Microsoft Works version compatible with
> > > > Windows 3.1. Run a web server ? I know a guy who had a server running
> >
> > on
> >
> > > > a 386 system, on Windows 3.11. So yes, it is possible, only I don't
> >
> > know
> >
> > > > what software he used to actually serve the data. Act as a router ?
> > > > Again, hopefully. That is, if the entire network is on 10 megabit,
> > > > because I don't think there are ISA 100 megabit network cards (ISA
> > > > bandwith is not enough). 2D graphics ? It was possible in Windows
> > > > 3.1, why not ? Maybe the first Photoshop versions actually were
> > > > 16-bit. 3D graphics ? The first 3D Studio Max (that is, 3D Studio)
> > > > was for DOS only. That probably means 16-bit right from the start,
> > > > and that should mean yes, you can do it, with the DOS compatibility
> > > > layer. Web design ? If you can find a 16-bit application, yes.
> > > >
> > > > A separate ReactOS for 16-bit only, or just all the 16-bit
> >
> > functionality
> >
> > > > included in the normal ReactOS ? Things look better when it works out
> >
> > of
> >
> > > > the box, but it's a waste of space to include applications written
> > > > for 16-bit only. People that really need the 16-bit version will not
> > > > mind paying extra attention to actually download this one and not the
> > > > normal one. Besides that, ReactOS is free. And the presence of such a
> > > > version would mean a selfless devotion to people. An act of charity
> > > > for real. Allowing people to use their computers and do as many
> > > > modern things as possible on them.
> > > >
> > > > An open source Windows 3.11 with better compatibility and adherence
> > > > to standards. Compatible with all the 9x and ME. Has been tried in
> > > > Free
> >
> > Win
> >
> > > > 95, oiaohm said "dead and staying that way" about it, but maybe VxD
> > > > documentation and whatever else you would need will appear (or be
> > > > reverse engineered by someone). Once a bigger effort will be done,
> > > > the missing info is probably easier to uncover.
> > > >
> > > > Those are my suggestions. They are not for now, they are not easy to
> >
> > do,
> >
> > > > etc. Just don't discard them, please.
> > > >
> > > > Alex
> > >
> > > Well that is allot! I like ideas too! But~ need more developers here.
> > > The best we will do for now is NT/2k/Xp/2k3/V. Downward compatibility
> > > is WOW and we don't have WOW. If you want! Come and help us.
> > >
> > > Now for win311,,, Take FreeDOS and Wine 16 bit retool the wine code
> > > base
> >
> > it
> >
> > > on information from "Undocumented Windows by A. Schulman, D. Maxey and
> > > M. Pietrek". You will have a good project there! I would like to play
> > > with that but~ I have to much right now.
> >
> > "Unauthorized Windows 95" by Schulman for the info on the vmmd32.vxd, and
> > the
> > *.vxd info.
> >
> > Wesley Parish
> >
> > > Thanks,
> > > James
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Ros-dev mailing list
> > > Ros-dev at reactos.org
> > > http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev
> >
> > --
> > Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish
> > -----
> > Gaul is quartered into three halves.  Things which are
> > impossible are equal to each other.  Guerrilla
> > warfare means up to their monkey tricks.
> > Extracts from "Schoolboy Howlers" - the collective wisdom
> > of the foolish.
> > -----
> > Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui?
> > You ask, what is the most important thing?
> > Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
> > I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people.
> > _______________________________________________
> > Ros-dev mailing list
> > Ros-dev at reactos.org
> > http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev

-- 
Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish
-----
Gaul is quartered into three halves.  Things which are 
impossible are equal to each other.  Guerrilla 
warfare means up to their monkey tricks. 
Extracts from "Schoolboy Howlers" - the collective wisdom 
of the foolish.
-----
Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui?
You ask, what is the most important thing?
Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people.