AtheOS 0.3.5 Released

JigSaw writes "AtheOS 0.3.5 has just been released. Lots of changes to the core of the OS, but the most important upgrade is the port of the Konqueror web browser (the author had to wrap around X/KDE/QT calls in order to port it). AtheOS is a modern OS, written from scratch using OOP and C++, it features a 64-bit journaled/attributed filesystem and (surprise) it doesn't use X, but rather its native GUI system (screenshots). Changelog is here, while you can download it here (only around 23 MB for the basic installation). There is already a number of posix software ports and third party native software available."

Comments

AtheOS is shaping up

[Anonymous Coward]

I didn't have much faith in AtheOS when it first came out, but it is quickly becoming a very viable choice on which many of my favorite programs will run. I am disappointed by the lack of X, but an open-source replacement for the archaic X11 interface might not be such a bad thing after all. At least it's better than Be's "close it up and then abandon it" approach to replacing X.

The best part about AtheOS is that it is everything that the HURD tried to be but hasn't become yet. AtheOS is an object-oriented microkernel OS that is already up and running - something that the HURD should have been about six years ago. RMS is stuck playing catch-up to the newcomer now, and it's anyone's guess as to whether he bows out of the race or starts making good on the HURD's promises. Only time will tell.

-vort3x
(posting anonymously to preserve my precious karma)

Re:AtheOS is shaping up

[Drooling Iguana]

I didn't have much faith in AtheOS

Does anyone other than me see the irony in that statement?

HURD != Vaporware

[Chris Pimlott]

Surely it's time for HURD to stop being vapourware and actually get something working.

The HURD is certainly far from "finished" but it is by no means vaporware. Nowadays development is happened under the Debian HURD project. It does boot, it has networking, it's got X11, it's got install disks (Linux based at this time). The last month has seen the first PPP support.

At present there are over 1000 hurd-compiled packages - 25% of the Debian archive. (a full list of packages with statuses here (big page))

For more information, check the afore mentioned Debian HURD pages, Kernel Cousin Debian Hurd (mailing list summaries) and the HURD Documentation Project.

Re:Konqueror screenshot mirrored

[sc0rpi0n]

And here are the other screen shots and the news page. Enjoy ;)

Actual text

[jeffy124]

Since the site has been slashdotted, here's the text of the news:

New version. There has been a long time since the last release of AtheOS but finally V0.3.5 is ready for release. There is several reasons for the long delay like the fact that I have been rather busy at work lately and that we have had a great summer here in Oslo so AtheOS have not always been at the top of my priority list. Also quite a lot of work have gone into this release and quite a lot of new features and improvements have been made.

Many of the changes are additions and modifications to the various API's and toolkits but also a few user-visible aspects are improved in this release. Many bugs are fixed in the text editor and list-view widgets. The scrollbar have got a totally new look and a few new features like "paging" (jump one page when clicking beside the knob) and small arrow buttons that can be used to move the know.

Some crash-bugs have been fixed and the general robustness of the application server has been improved. Also several kernel crash-bugs have been fixed so the general stability of AtheOS have improved quite a bit. The uptime on my heavily stressed developer machine is 34 days when I write this (the time since the last HW upgrade).

This version also have two new keymaps (German and Sweedish) and support for a wide range of nVidia graphics adaptors.

The main focus for V0.3.5 however has been on the KHTML based web browser. I have ported the HTML parser/renderer used in the Konqueror web browser (KHTML) to AtheOS. KHTML is a very capabel HTML parser and renderer that support both CSS and javascript and so does the AtheOS web browser. Finally a high-quality web browser for AtheOS! The browser is part of the 0.3.5 base install and the 0.3.4->0.3.5 upgrade archive. Take a look at the changes list for a more detailed list of changes since V0.3.4.

Re:Potential

[jradkowski]

As 'the guy' writing ( or at least trying to write) the IDE driver I might as well respond. The reason for a driver, which is not just for speed is for cdrom support. So its two fold. I tried picking up where Jasper, the orginal writer left off (kernel 0.1.1). Kurt really hasnt had a need for an IDE driver since, unless im mistaken, he is running an all SCSI system. However even though i crashed, and lost the little progress I made I am gonna probally end up trying a different route. Someone already has ported the ISO9660 filesytem and that gentlemen is also working on the IDE driver seperately when he has time. I havent had much time lately due to work to actually work on the driver but am starting up again, heck i might have alot of time since I might be joining the pink slip parties soon :) I believe after the cdrom driver is released more 'normal' people will start trying this OS due to the ablity of a bootable cdrom and a nice install... by normal I mean 99% of the people reading this site on a daily basis. After that I have a feeling a large influx of developers are bound to come. Joe Radkowski JoeRadkowski@hotmail.com