GeNToo - Gentoo on the NT Kernel

Enjoi writes "GeNToo is a version of the Gentoo meta distribution based on the NT kernel, (virtually) completely free of any Win32 code. It provides a complete text-mode Gentoo environment, with all GNU tools, Perl, Python and the other usual suspects. In addition, it comes with with full NT hardware driver support." Aptly named GeNToo, is it a step towards bringing Windows closer to open source? "

Comments

First Post, yet no one cares

[cybermint]

So much April Fools, so little news.

Re:First Post, yet no one cares

[AKAImBatman]

With it, people would compile UNIX apps for OS/2, and they would just require a single DLL, not the entire craziness that Cygwin-compiled apps can be.

Technically, Cygwin is just a single DLL. All the extra craziness you see is an attempt to build a complete environment instead of just single tools. As a result, Cygwin ends up being something of an "OS shell inside an OS shell". But there are supposedly quite a few programs using only the DLL. In fact, you can install the DLL into the path, then use the command line utilities from CMD.exe.

The Windows people couldn't care less, and the UNIX people would rather swallow swords than use the NT kernel, especially with FreeBSD and Linux out there... Is this doable? Absolutely. Is it worthwhile? People's words to the contrary, there hasn't been a huge groundswell of support...

There are a couple of reasons why Unix support never materialized:

1. Microsoft pushed the Win32 API whenever possible. They knew it was crap (see: Barbarians at the Gates) because they had intentionally made it crap to lock in programs and prevent Win32 copycats such as WINE.

2. The Unix vendors who did embrace NT found that Microsoft was actually using as a way of killing them on the vine, and had no interest in actually following through on their promises. i.e. There used to MIPS and Alpha versions of Windows NT. Where are they now?

3. The smart Unix vendors (e.g. Sun) knew that the NT kernel was quite powerful and could potentially offer up real workstation competition once mature. As a result, they buried the NT kernel as best as they could. In Sun's case they penned an exclusive deal to port NT to the Sparc architecture. Too bad Microsoft didn't add a delivery date to the contract, because Sun happily sat on their exclusive contract while Microsoft stomped around angrily. While Sun didn't manage to keep Microsoft permanently out of the server arena, they did delay them until PC hardware managed to catch up to the Sparc architecture.

Of course, Gentoo is free from these political issues, so they're in something of a unique position to produce a *working* OS. If this goes anywhere, I do expect Microsoft's lawyers to start getting itchy, though...

ReactOS + CoLinux

[Steven Edwards]

I know its April Fools but come on its not a half bad idea.

Re:ReactOS + CoLinux

[ArbitraryConstant]

From the FAQ:

"Infidels! Linux rocks!

<rant>Yes, it rocks that much that we are looking for stable alternatives. Especially the 2.6 kernel has been *ahem* interesting. If the kernel hackers got their act together and released a really stable version of the 2.6 kernel we might want to use it. But they don't so we don't.</rant>"

If only this were a joke...

Enough already!

[Chanc_Gorkon]

Courtesy of Wikipedia:

"Traditionally, pranks are supposed to end by noon. Those done afterwards are supposed to bring bad luck to the perpetrator."

Re:Enough already!

[Fwonkas]

Which is immediately followed by: "However, this is not universally adhered to, and many of the hoaxes listed below appeared after noon. Anyone who fails to respond to the tricks played on them in the proper spirit of tolerance and amusement will also suffer bad luck."

Stop Complaining

[Anonymous Coward]

Taco only gets to blow off steam by trolling readers this much once a year.

Last year it was posting the evil bit story 12 times.

This year it's posting obviously parody/satirical stories, a little too obvious to be good April Fool's jokes as someone pointed out.

It's not noon yet!

[Vince]

If you're on the "best" coast, you've still got 15 minutes left!

I'm still waiting...

[Trailer Trash]

for Taco to dupe an April Fool's post.

Re:I'm still waiting...

[SmokeHalo]

How 'bout this one and this one?

Best whack idea yet.

[smittyoneeach]

No graphical subsystem. We do not provide X11. This requires major work, and is not likely to change in the near future. Poor network support. While the drivers work, the user mode tools do not exist in POSIX form. This is being worked on. In the meantime, we are making available some Win32 text-mode tools, but these require you to install a minimal Win32 subsystem. No configuration tools. The NT kernel is designed to be controlled via the registry. While we do provide a minimal registry editor, it is unfortunately rather difficult to use for non-experts to do any kind of configuration. We are considering various options here, the most likely candidate being a /proc-like filesystem as an interface to the registry. No partitioning tools. We don't (yet) have fdisk, so all partitioning must be done before installation. GUIs come, and GUIs go, but the CLI goes on forever. Emacs.
Networking is of course critical.
The thought of an emacs customization buffer supporting the Windows registry is at least seven kinds of perverse. :)
The partitioning tools are the least concern. If it's a multi-boot, and you have to provide a licensed XP (regardless of whether you agree, do uphold the law), you probably aren't starting wholly from scratch on this project.
The really interesting thing to do with this would be to give the NT kernel a User Mode Linux wrapper, and then let the little NT byotch-process run all of its little hardware drivers. I would love to flex my HP 11g duplex laser printer under my 'regular' Gentoo boot...

umm...

[underactive]

Error 404: Funny Not Found

Further Research...

[tsanth]

The screenshots leave much to be desired. Their bootlog.txt, likewise, looks hacked together from a standard NT boot and a CLI transcript. Plus, their Quick Install Reference mentions a "nt-isocreator.sh" script which is missing from the main page, pending a blessing from their lawyer friend.

Perhaps someone could check on #gentoo-nt on irc.freenode.net (also from the quick-install ref) to see what's up?

Assuming this is a joke, kudos to them for back-dating the page; I'm now curious.

Re:Further Research...

[falconed]

I just want to know when we can emerge slammer.

Serious Foolishness

[buckhead_buddy]

The April Fools "pranks" that I have come to respect the most are those that use the cover of a silly prank to challenge an idea or convention that's too ingrained to even bring it up without that cover.

Something like the Pope entering a purely vegetative state before making his thoughts known on the subject as they apply to him personally. You'd get roasted alive as a heathen and heretic for even mentioning this possibility, but properly couched in an April Fools story, it'd give the avenue to address a previously inexpressible idea (due to social conventions).

This type of Gentoo on NT is probably a good geek equivalent of that, but I'm disappointed that there are fewer examples of the trend. Admittedly, any real conversation probably wouldn't happen today (if ever on Slashdot), but using the cover of April Fools pranks to break social conventions is probably the best and most justifiable use of the day. I just wish more constructive discussion had been generated from expressing the inexpressible.

Gentoo for NT actually exists!

[Anonymous Coward]

This isn't an April Fools joke.

Gentoo for NT actually does exist:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/gentoocygwin/