New SkyOS 5.0 Screenshots Released

Hexydes writes "After 3 months of waiting, the first round of screenshots showing off the new GUI for SkyOS 5.0 have been released. The three screenshots show various features of the new GUI, including the new WindUI theme, new Viewer window, and various window effects such as curves, shadows, and transparency. In addition to the new GUI, SkyOS 5.0 will have other additions, such as more support for hardware (just to name one, an ATI driver to go alongside the NVidia driver), speed and stability improvements, anti-aliased text, and Bochs support."

Comments

So why should I use SkyOS, and not GNU/Linux?

[Skuggan]

It looks just like all other spinoffs where someone begins to write a cool GUI, and then it becomes a not so cool OS.

What am I missing if I run GNU/Linux, GNU/BSD or GNU/Cygwin/Windows?

If it's only the GUI I guess it can be implemented in XFree...

(GNU above is only to keep RMS happy...)

Re:So why should I use SkyOS, and not GNU/Linux?

[cgenman]

Actually, there really isn't a great reason to use Sky OS over Linux or BSD... and that's not the point. Sky OS is one of many smaller projects whose primary purpose is to satisfy the hobby needs of the creator... Kind of like where Linux was when Linus decided his schoolwork was too boring.

There are many other examples out there. Contiki, Triangle Os, and many others.

There are also Open Source, commercial, and potentially useful hobbyist systems out there. However, if you are looking for the most comprehensive, useful desktop suite, look elsewhere. All of these Os's are unique and well-intentioned, but very few are actually practical.

Practicality is not the point. Curiosity is the point. What would a different implementation look like? What if all the graphics subsystems were contained in the kernel? How would a real-time OS feel to the user? These questions can't be answered by just releasing a new X theme, and there aren't very many people curious enough to find out.

These people are true geeks... Software for software's sake. Kudos to you all.

Re:So what's the license on SkyOS, anyway?

[sakyamuni]

There's some discussion of licensing in the project's forums. The sentiment appears to be "open source bad".

Also, in this thread, the project's author states in a message dated January 2002 that, "for now", SkyOS is freeware.

Meanwhile, allegations of GPL violations are already arising.

Re:So what's the license on SkyOS, anyway?

[msuzio]

Wow. I can't believe the absolutely *ignorant* comments on those forums. And I do mean *ignorant*, because the assertions made don't make any sense to me from any bit of knowledge I have at my disposal.

"Look at what happened to Linux"
Umm... yeah. Linux is in a sad state indeed.

"There's lots of closed-source OS's out there, like Microsoft Windows and Mac OS!"
Well, duh. I think perhaps those are successful because they have large teams and large corporate forces behind them... how do you match those? Open-source is one way... one person doing development all by himself seems pretty well doomed to failure.

I don't know. Sounds like a bad horse to bet anything on. Looks pretty, I'd even use it if it were open-source (or at least not being accused of GPL violations). But I suspect this isn't going to go anywhere unless and until the project opens up in some fashion. Linus tinkered with Linux on his own for quite a while, but I doubt it would have gone anywhere if he had never GPL'ed it. He himself has often said it was the pivotal decision he made in the development...