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Keeping the OS/2 Flame Alive

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the burn-baby-burn dept.

nanday writes "Ever wondered what happened to OS/2? With IBM officially abandoning the operating system last year, users are relying on a third party version of OS/2 -- and, increasingly, using free and open source software to keep it alive." From the article: "According to Haverblad, the main reason that users stay with OS/2 is for 'features that Windows and Linux don't have yet.' He singles out the REstructured eXtended eXecutor (REXX), an interpreted programming language known for its ease of use, a 'rock solid kernel,' 'excellent multitasking,' and low system requirements. Haverblad also claims a lack of viruses and spyware and, referencing a report on OS/2 Warp Server by Secunia, fewer security vulnerabilities." Newsforge is also an OSTG site.

3 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. Security Problems... by Manip · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Considering the timeframe OS/2 was developed in, and its complexity excuse me if I don't believe it is secure. Most of the software from that timeframe has been shown to have a LOT of security problems, primarily because the training, and tools to discover holes didn't exist at the time.

    Plus a complete OS that is secure? ... I don't think so... Linux, and BSD, in their lifetimes have had lots of security problems, particularly as they have grown in popularity.

    If OS/2 was released OpenSource tomorrow and got popular you'd have it with the MOST security venerabilities by years end I guarantee it.

    The ONLY reason OS/2 /appears/ to be secure is because it isn't worth any one's time trying to crack it.

    1. Re:Security Problems... by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Barring a few stupid corporations (*cough* Diebold *cough*), most ATMs accept extremely limited input, and have a very narrow range of possible actions they can take with that input, so there really isn't much to gain by hacking an ATM, and no real way to do it, because it's not really set up for that, and isn't running other, exploitable, services.

      Now, those Diebold machines that run Windows, on the other hand...I've seen screenshots of those things after a bluescreen, with the browser up, and the media player going. I'd bet there was a way to get them to spit out their complete internal cash supply. That's a good 250k, if it's full. Can you insert a buffer overflow on the back of an ATM card?

      --
      ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
  2. REXX by Shag · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I used to code in REXX in 1989.

    It was pretty handy for scripting, useful as "glue" between different things and all that.

    By 1989 standards, mind you.

    I think modern things (like AppleScript/Automator) can probably do everything REXX could ever do, and more, while being more readable to us humans.

    --
    Village idiot in some extremely smart villages.