X-Account-Key: account1 X-UIDL: 140817 X-Mozilla-Keys: Return-Path: X-ListServer: CommuniGate Pro LIST 5.1.3 List-Unsubscribe: List-ID: List-Archive: Precedence: list Message-ID: Reply-To: "OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" Sender: "OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" To: "OS/2 Wireless Users Mailing List" X-Original-Message-ID: <475C6CC4.5060205@2rosenthals.com> Date: Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:31:32 -0500 From: "Lewis G Rosenthal" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed Subject: Re: [OS2Wireless] Is it time to commission a driver project apart from GenMAC? Thanks for your input, Carl. Some follow-up thoughts, below: On 12/09/07 04:11 pm, Carl Gehr thus wrote : > On Thu, 6 Dec 2007 07:44:46 -0800, Neil Waldhauer wrote: > > >> One of the strongest approaches we could take is to wait for GenMac source >> code, and then fork the project. >> > > Just a question on this assumption: > Maybe I've missed it, but virtually every response from Thorolf > on this subject has said, or at least strongly implied that the > source is not and never will be available. > > Adrian's response to my original suggestion, forwarded to genmac-user by Christian on September 24, concerning GenMAC vs open source: Regarding open source: Willibald and I talked about that and it might happen one day. No details yet but Willibald *does* think about that. But to be honest, we doubt that many people will have the know how to contribute to this driver in any form, it's not really something you understand fast. And the few people who would be able to understand it are busy with other stuff already... So, Willibald is thinking about it (whatever that means in the grand scheme of things). And again, note the dumbing down of the rest of the development community... > And, to another thought that always seems to be ignored when such > discussions arise: > Why doesn't Serenity ever pick up some of these balls? > Aside from the ultimate users of the developed coded, > It seems they have the most to gain by every new device > or category of device that works with eCS. > > It seems that every time serenity gets involved with commissioning some form of development outside the basic OS itself, they are met with disappointment (and this is no slight against Bob, et al). They got royally burned with the SVISTA situation, and those guys are now the ones behind the very successful Parallels Desktop which runs on the Intel Macs, allowing them to install Windows in a VM. Now there's a kick in the pants... That said, your point is well taken that Serenity has more licenses to sell if their product supports more hardware (and more easily!). > Another significant advantage to SSI involvement would be > that tools, drivers, etc., that are part of the system will > be better tested, have a standard install approach, and would > make eCS look more like a finished, complete product instead > of "OS/2 with a different look and feel, plus a bunch of extras > that each user has to a) find, b) install, c) update,... > Agreed. It would make for a more uniform installation and therefor, would be easier to troubleshoot, update, and to train users and administrators. > Yes, GenMac is part of the distribution for eCS 2.0 RC2/RC3. > BUT, it installs in a different location than the stand-alone > distribution which creates confusion if you attempt to install > via eCS and then have to manually update with the 'secrete' test > distributions. Wouldn't it be nice if eCSMT handled that task. > > Yes, indeed. I like your mention of the "secret" test version, too. Shhhh!!! Nobody should know. We wouldn't want any "users" getting hold of it to test it!! :-) But hey, they've got a system - it's not our system, but they've got *a* system. > As to financing, if SSI were doing it, an extra few bucks > [generic for dollars, euros, et al ;-) ...] on every license > would surely be lost in the shuffle and would more than make > up for dependence on individual user contributions or fees > for each copy of add-on packages. > > I think they have a problem with the pricing already. It's a tough sell for an alternative OS when it is immediately compared to pricing for Linux (i.e., anything other than Windows is an alternative, and end users purchasing new hardware are duped into believing that Windows "comes with it" "for free"). Note that M$ was disappointed by the slow adoption of XP in enterprises, mainly due to the cost of an upgrade which provided little additional features over W2K. New hardware, however, came bundled with XP - because M$ essentially told the builder channel that they could no longer bundle W2K with a system for the same price as pre-XP - and that's how many businesses made the move. I'm only now seeing apps which *require* XP SP2 and will actually refuse to install under W2K. So, the question comes down to value for the money, and how to make the point that eCS is a better value than, say, Linux (which does have excellent support for most hardware these days, with the possible exception - as we both know by now - of some of the very new HDA hardware). That's tough enough to do before we start adding on a few extra $$ for a network device driver project (and let's not forget that Panorama is working hard to fill the void left after the end of SNAP - and doing a great job). > Maybe late to the party, but I just couldn't resist butting in... > > Glad you did. I'm thinking more and more that we should move this discussion to a Wiki or even to warptech.info (buy, do I need to update that site). -- Lewis ------------------------------------------------------------ Lewis G Rosenthal, CNA, CLP, CLE Rosenthal & Rosenthal, LLC Accountants / Network Consultants New York / Northern Virginia www.2rosenthals.com eComStation Consultants www.ecomstation.com Novell Users Int'l www.novell.com/openenterpriseserver Need a managed Wi-Fi hotspot? www.hautspot.com ------------------------------------------------------------ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list . To unsubscribe, E-mail to: To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to To switch to the INDEX mode, E-mail to Send administrative queries to To subscribe (new addresses), E-mail to: and reply to the confirmation email. 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