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#71
Article Discussions / Re: What is the future of this...
Last post by DougB - 2012.09.22, 20:07:34
QuoteSo we have to invest in "how do you do that" in development

QuoteI also agree we need more information on porting software.

Paul Smedley actually released his whole build environment, and others have been using that to port things. I don't know what the details are now, I got the package when it first appeared, and it does work. I am pretty sure that you need to request the package, and possibly pay a modest fee, to get it now. The package does contain a very brief set of instructions on how to use it, but a user does have to do some serious digging, to learn how to go about porting software, especially when it won't build without modifying the code.

Unfortunately, it is probably not as simple as saying "do this..." with a set of instructions. Each program could require something different, so you would need a set of instructions for each program. The trick is, to get good enough at doing the job, that you can write your own instructions, but learning how to do it, is a lot of work.
#72
Article Discussions / Re: What is the future of this...
Last post by ivan - 2012.09.22, 19:01:25
Joop, I have to agree with you regarding the use of OS/2 in industry.

I have two engineering works as clients where all the machinery is operated by OS/2 and in one case the office uses OS/2 as well.  There is no way they will change to anything else to run the machinery but it would be nice if we were able to update the input and output filters for DeScribe which is their main word-processor.  I have setup Libre Office running in Virtualbox - that needs updating as well - to do document conversion for them, and no, the port of Open Office does not cut it yet for real world use.

I also agree we need more information on porting software.  I am not a programmer but I would be prepared to try IF I knew where to begin.  For example, I use Sigil to produce epubs of the manuals we produce, thanks to Paul we have a port of it but it is version 0.2 and rather short of the features of the latest version 0.5.  If I knew how to start and setup what is necessary to port version 0.4.5 which is the last version possible because of QT4 restrictions, I would try and see if I could port it.
#73
Article Discussions / Re: What is the future of this...
Last post by Joop - 2012.09.22, 15:17:15
Quote from: miturbide on 2012.09.20, 22:12:01
Currently OS/2 is in survival mode. If we want to platform to have a long term future we need to make an open source clone of it, otherwise, the Mensys updates on eComStation will end with the last corporate customer migrating to Windows/Linux.

I don't think this will happen, OS/2 is unique and once installed correctly rock solid, a factor very important in production plants and if you watch the customer list you can read that there are many of them. Also it seems that certain options are ruled out in Windows like having more than two serial ports. OS/2 still supports the original XT specs which is standard 4 items of all hardware, so 4 hard drives, 4 tape drives, 4 floppy drives, 4 serial ports, 4 parallel ports,  full support scsi, many mice (there is not given a number, but I have had four working at a time). This is because OS/2 is true multitasking and Windows is certainly not. You can find that out by installing a four floppy drive card and format four diskettes or floppy's same time with different format if you like. Windows goes one by one, OS/2 goes 4 same time, but each a small amount of time, so you see four diskette drives light up one after another. This is because the driver can only handle one at the time. Same for software, had rebuild a site with over 100 pages with batch editor. Thought it would took hours to do, but it was forbidden to blink with your eyes, OS/2 rebuild 100 pages next to each other!. I didn't believe this response, it took me over a week to investigate, all files were rebuild correctly. You won't get this performance from Windows by far.

So we have to invest in "how do you do that" in development, so more users can program or migrate foreign software from other platforms. There is much work to do in this respect. So developers, please, add a file with first steps and how do you do that.

Regards,
Joop
#74
Article Discussions / Re: What is the future of this...
Last post by danielnez1 - 2012.09.22, 00:32:28
I would like to see osFree take off as it does appear to me to have the most potential, plus their intention to try to use Linux drivers would help delegate the need to support the huge variety of devices to a certain degree.

Other "clone" projects like ReactOS and Haiku have come a long way but have taken years to develop to the stage they are now and likewise starting a OS/2 clone from the ground up wold be the most time consuming and resource intensive option.
#75
Hardware / Re: eCS on Samsung Series 7 Sl...
Last post by abwillis - 2012.09.21, 17:50:55
It seems unlikely but you didn't install the multiuser stuff did you?  I had a system that behaved exactly as you describe... the process that was using the CPU was ssesctl.exe part of the multiuser stuff.  Does that slate have hyperthreading?  If it does can it be turned off? 
http://bugs.ecomstation.nl/view.php?id=2132
#76
Hardware / eCS on Samsung Series 7 Slate ...
Last post by Sigurd - 2012.09.21, 09:25:12
Hi,

just a small update:

--> things done:

-> the LAN interface in the dockingstation does work perfect with the Mensys Realtek Driver (and even better: if the Slate is booted "Not connected to the dockingstation" the driver loads as well and does not stop boot process with an error message nor halt); Internet connection possible (see picture attached)
-> Panorama Video driver shows maximum resolution 1366X768 with 16M colours (but - see below)
-> USB Drivers seem to work (but see below)

--> things to be done:

-> as mentioned the eCS is somehow strange and instabel, it depends on the boot process. I guess ACPI and USB are not allways able to set the right and proper settings during boot process
i.e.: the easiest way to see if all went good or wrong is to watch the CPU Meter directly after boot: (I did disable Hyperthreading allthough it seems to make no difference) if the two kernels show activity between 0,5 and 5% everything is OK but if those show 50 - 90% the device will be unusable after a short duration of time...
I can not say wich way it will go the next boot time, I would say the usable / unusable rate is up to 50/50...
When unusable it is not possible to shut down (regardless if APM or ACPI has been choosen on the "e-shutdown" page), it just closes the WPS and starts it again or just stops with 0% in the shutdown progress. If the boot process went OK it is possbile to shutdown the system, it turns it self completly of. The same is with the Power Manager - if booting is OK it calms down the fan and temperatuer after about 1 or 2 minutes, if booting is not OK it allways runs on full fan and CPU power that makes it dangerous for the device.

-> Sound - I did not test sound drivers so far as I thought those might be one reason preventing eCs from booting
-> UMTS - I will try to get 3G/UMTS connection to run as I did with the Lenovo X200t (but later)
-> Stylus - Touch: Wim is so kind to help me here once again!!!!!

--> things that never will and can be done:

- WLAN
- Bluetooth (and therefore the included keyboard...sadly, as it is a really great one!!)

All in all it is really worth a shot! It is really a pitty that I can not sent David A. and Lars Erdemann a slate to set proper ACPI and USB functions as I am of the opinion that it then would really be a great device for eCS! I am looking forward to get touch and pen to run.

ANd if you choose the right background image, eCS or OS/2 isn't that bad looking ;)
#77
Article Discussions / Re: What is the future of this...
Last post by miturbide - 2012.09.20, 22:12:01
Hi DougB

Quote from: DougB on 2012.09.20, 04:47:36
...The main problem with doing it that way, is that the company could suddenly decide to raise the cost, or they could go out of business, or decide to terminate the project. ..

You are exactly describing the risks of close source software. I prefer to have things open sourced (copyleft) instead of close source software. IBM has teach me (and I think all of us)  a lesson, no matter how bit or small the developer company is, you can always be left "High and Dry".  Open Source is a way to legally mitigate this risk.

That's why releasing software as open source will legally allow anybody (individuals and companies) to keep developing the software, no matter if the original developer exists or not.

Currently OS/2 is in survival mode. If we want to platform to have a long term future we need to make an open source clone of it, otherwise, the Mensys updates on eComStation will end with the last corporate customer migrating to Windows/Linux.
#78
Hardware / Re: eCS on Samsung Series 7 Sl...
Last post by Sigurd - 2012.09.20, 15:50:23
There has been no difference from the beginning on whether with or without Hyperthreading.

Last week on ebay a used one was sold for about 390 Euro....
#79
Hardware / Re: eCS on Samsung Series 7 Sl...
Last post by EugeneGorbunoff - 2012.09.20, 15:19:09
aaa... very expensive device.

too many CPUs.. try disable HyperThreading (if activated)
#80
Hardware / eCS on Samsung Series 7 Slate
Last post by Sigurd - 2012.09.20, 14:55:49
For those who are interested in:

Well, it took me almost 10 months now to finally succed in getting eCS to run on the Samsung Series 7 Slate. But, I tried not that often in this duration of time because simply it was to hard and I gave up for month. Finally I went trough.

It is this: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397331,00.asp

I am using the eCS 2.2. alpha from April this year, using USB Drivers from Lars Erdmann 183 and ACPI 3.21.02 (Latest).

BUT - IT WAS REALLY A KIND OF PITA!! ;)

Once I figured out that it was because of the USB Drivers (still included in 2.2. the "old IBM" ones so far) that it allways crashed I managed to get it to run, but it was not that easy because I had to prepare the HDD and did not want to destroy the Windows 7 installation. In the end I am using Airboot Manager now to switch between Windows 7 and eComStation during boot process. As the inlcuded keyboard is a Bluetooth model I can not use it. But i discovered that I can use the inbuild switch for "Loudness" and "Rotation" to work with Airboot.

eCS is still somewhat instable, but at least it is running native, but I guess because of that much included USB devices (2 Webcams, UMTS,Bluetooth, Digitizer, Tablett and 2 USBEHCI ) eCS comes in heavy problems.

I will see if - with the help of i.e. Wim - we can get Digitizer and Touch to run.