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Porting OS/2 Software to Linux

Posted by timothy on from the warped-minds dept.

squiggleslash writes: "IBM's Developer Domain is hosting an article on how to port software written for OS/2 over to Linux. Bottom line -- it's easy, as long as you use an abstraction layer. Hopefully this'll mean the huge amount of OS/2 software out there will start being ported, helping make Linux even more ready for the desktop. Lotus, are you reading?"

25 comments

  1. Lotus, are you reading? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's with the "Lotus, are you reading?" comment? Lotus is a subsidiary of IBM and this is an article from IBM's Developer Domain. They probably read the article before it was posted on the Developer Domain website ;-)

  2. "huge amount of software" by gruntvald · · Score: 1

    I like and use OS/2, but c'mon - "huge amount of software"? You mean all the office, CAD, and financial apps, right?

    1. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Aaaaaargh! · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Well, OS/2 passed the "Egghead test" for me*. When I went to my local Egghead store (back in the day), they had two racks full of OS/2 software and a sign that indicated most Windows software ran fine on OS/2. The people working there were actually competent and could answer questions, too! I bought it and never regretted it. Amazingly, I could run DOS apps alongside Windows apps and when, not if, a Windows app crashed, it didn't take down the whole system!

      Of course, Egghead is no more, thanks to CrapUSA and some other computer superstore that went out of business while destroying local competition, and IBM gave up the "desktop war" to its comeptition. Sure, OS/2 still exists, but who's going to pay $284 for an OS when Windows comes pre-bundled with every computer you buy? This is the problem OS/2 faced when it was affordable ($99 for Warp, circa 1995). So they gave up trying to position it as a consumer OS. No more games, little productivity software, just vertical apps that businesses could afford. The superior OS just disappeared.

      That being said, we probably won't see anything interesting being ported from OS/2 to Linux. Most of the software out there is vertical apps, a few outdated office suites, games by companies that disappeared, shareware device drivers (SIO rocked), some ancient BBS software, and many neat little shareware helper programs, some of them written in REXX.

      * disclaimer: I once was a Team OS/2 booster.

      --
      Give them an inch and they'll take a foot. Much more than that, you won't have a leg to stand on.
    2. Re:"huge amount of software" by squiggleslash · · Score: 2
      I was partially being facetious. That said, there is real productivity software for OS/2 that's lacking under Linux, and I know a lot of my employer's customers, which includes certain large automotive concerns, have stuff floating around in Windows and OS/2 versions.

      One thing that interested me about the article was this little hint:

      The LANDP for Linux team designed a mapping layer to aid our port from OS/2 to Linux. The mapping layer is a shared object that is used to port the individual LANDP servers from OS/2. Perhaps the mapping layer will provide a starting place for other projects, perhaps not
      Whereupon the article abruptly ends. I wonder if this suggests some sort of basis for an OS/2 simulator similar to winelib is available?
      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    3. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shh... Do not tell all of the Mac-fans out there. Macs will almost always fail the Best Buy/Circuit City test, and yet maintains a small but healthy market percentage.

      People have been saying that Apple will die for about as long as the Macintosh has been around, but Apple is still going strong, without Best Buy,

    4. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      And if it weren't for the fact that Microsoft has to maintain the appearance of a competing operating system in the personal computer marketplace, Apple would be quite dead. But it's safe, for now.

      ~~~

    5. Re:"Huge amount of software" by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      I think you're understimating the loyality of Apple fans. Without them, Apple would have died a long time ago.

    6. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I agree that Apple fans are loyal, but I seem to remember OS/2 users (remember TEAM OS/2?) being pretty damn fanatical, too. Of course, IBM's half-hearted, inept marketing didn't help any.

      ~~~

    7. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Safety+Cap · · Score: 2
      Sure, OS/2 still exists [ibm.com], but who's going to pay $284 for an OS when Windows comes pre-bundled with every computer you buy?
      They will when you consider that you're already paying $200-300 for Windows. It is just "included" in the "cost."

      Remember the OS-less computer? The reason it is so darn cheap is because they don't have to include the OS TAX.

      --
      Yeah, right.
    8. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They will when you consider that you're already paying $200-300 for Windows. It is just "included" in the "cost."

      Not being able to get around the cost makes it "free" for all intents and purposes.

      Remember the OS-less computer [walmart.com]? The reason it is so darn cheap is because they don't have to include the OS TAX.

      They also use 2nd rate components to keep down costs. Unless you build it yourself, you can't get away from crap OSes or crap components at a reasonable price.

    9. Re:"Huge amount of software" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0



      I stopped being a Team OS/2er when they (IBM) started rounding up our names, addresses, emails and phone numbers. Of course, IBM is quite experienced in these matters.

    10. Re:"Huge amount of software" by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      Well, Apple fans are more fanatical about the company than they are about any particular product.

    11. Re:"Huge amount of software" by abelikoff · · Score: 1
      They will when you consider that you're already paying $200-300 for Windows. It is just "included" in the "cost."

      Since when did Windows cost $200-300? Even the brand new XP Home costs $199 at most and nobody buys it at that price. OEMs pay much lower prices when bundling MS software (I'd estimate, something around $50 even though I have nothing to support this estimation) and consumers get it at a very low price as well. So, no FUD please...

    12. Re:"Huge amount of software" by kmankmankman2001 · · Score: 1

      According to your test (which is not totally invalid) Mac also fails the "Best Buy" test. I actually used this test when my dad was considering an Imac (his first ever computer). Knowing nothing about mac's, and knowing he'd be calling me for support, I was kind of on the fence as to whether he'd be better off with the supposed ease of use of "the computer for the rest of us" or with a Wintel box that I could talk him thru over the phone. While at Best Buy I pointed out the rows & rows of Windows s/w and the one tiny little section of Mac s/w (where a lot of folks seemed to have dropped of unwanted boxes of Windows s/w). He still bought the Imac and in retrospect I don't think it made much difference - he doesn't know how to use that and he probably would have had at least as many problems with the Wintel box. Still - there's a solid userbase of Mac's out there still going strong so I don't believe that the "Best Buy test" can be universally applied. Also - how much Linux software do you see at Best Buy (rhetorical question as I suspect the overwhelming majority of Linux s/w is obtained via download vs. store purchase)?

      --
      "The bigger the lie, the more they believe." - Det. Bunk
  3. Lotus? by Daniel+Wood · · Score: 1
    "Lotus, are you reading?"

    I thought it was the general consensus that Lotus is the bane of end users.

  4. "Huge amount of software" by rudy_wayne · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yeah right.

    In 1995, IBM tried to one-up Microsoft by releasing a new version of OS/2 before Windows 95 came out. I was looking for an alternative to The Evil Empire and seriously considered OS/2. However, I didn't go with OS/2, even though it was superior to Windows in several areas, because it flunked the "Best Buy" test.

    The Best Buy test:
    Walk into Best Buy (or Circuit City or any store that sells computer software) and count the number of native OS/2 programs sitting on the shelves. Number = 0. Stay away.

    Linux also fails the Best Buy test, which is why it will never pose a serious challenge to Windows (for general consumer use) and will continue to only be used as an OS for servers and computer geeks.

  5. OpenChat by Derci · · Score: 1

    I hope they port OpenChat, because of the ultra-important anti-addiction feature, which auto-closes the program after an hour of usage. :)

    --

    -- The ballad of arrivederci
    1. Re:OpenChat by __past__ · · Score: 2

      Doesn't Windows 9x have this feature, too?

      --
      Programming can be fun again. Film at 11.
    2. Re:OpenChat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, but OpenChat's feature is useful and desired.

  6. Read the article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This isn't interesting. This isn't a way to port OS/2 programs to Linux, this is a comparison of what OS/2 does that Linux doesn't.

  7. As a former member (shudder) of TEAM OS2, by acceleriter · · Score: 1
    I can say:

    <flamebait>
    WHAT OS/2 SOFTWARE?
    </flamebait>

    --

    CEE5210S The signal SIGHUP was received.

    1. Re:As a former member (shudder) of TEAM OS2, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a current user of OS/2 and a software developer I can say that although the software for OS/2 has been sparse (and getting sparser) the ones that exist have been good. Currently I program in Java and have been using Visual Age Enterprise for Java ($3000). Unfortunately this only produces Java 1.1.8 code (I cheat and recompile it with command line Java 1.3.0). There is a Windows version for Java 1.3 but it will not be ported to OS/2. Due to this I was promised by IBM 3 licenses for Linux with Java 1.3 due out in January 2001. Well I am still waiting (I have the Linux 1.1.8 package). The moral is if you have software you like and are able to do the work then you don't really need huge amounts of titles. With OS/2 I have been programming for Windows (95 and up), Linux, AS400, SCO, OS/2, HP, Sun, HP3000, Vax, Mips, AIX. What is important is the system is one you like to use and has software for what you intend to be doing. OS/2 has a great interface. The Linux X interfaces still need work.

      On the point of this article, the description of the Linux issues could have been written about any System V system in the last 15 years. Programs developed for System V would have a huge rewrite to go to OS/2 (or NT). It is easier to go from OS/2 and NT to Linux.

      By the way, the OS/2 TCP/IP stack is a nearly complete and good Berkeley implementation. This makes is useful for internet apps.

  8. Workplace Shell please by Colitis · · Score: 1

    If anything is ported, I'd like to see the Workplace Shell (OS/2's desktop GUI). This is still easily the nicest desktop environment I've ever used.

    1. Re:Workplace Shell please by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1

      I'd rather have it on NetBSD - Workplace shell on a Dreamcast ... ROFLMAO

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    2. Re:Workplace Shell please by Arach · · Score: 1

      WPS was and STILL is THE best desktop enviroment ever devised.

      On the other hand, I have no clue how would anyone be able to implement OO skeleton of WPS - regarding the OS-WPS integration. Remember those great ways to attach one object to another!? Document - and then just drag/drop a name (icon) form adr. book to mail it automatically!? Pure beauty!

      There was a basic port of WPS for Win3.11, but it didn't have any OO features.

      PORT WPS IBM! That would be the best DM on Linux!