Slashdot Mirror
SkyOS Now Free (As In Beer)
Beardydog writes "SkyOS, the commercial, alternative OS created almost entirely by Robert Szeleney, became free (as in beer) sometime last month. Alternative OS enthusiasts can be forgiven for missing it, as the website has been largely derelict, and the forums overrun with spam, since the project was halted in 2009. It's not clear from the announcement whether the ISO available is the traditional build, or the version rebuilt around Linux. The post announcing the free version provides a license name ('public') and registration code that must be entered during setup. While it isn't quite the open-sourcing that most followers hoped for, it's heartening to know SkyOS won't be completely lost in the mists of time."
For a blast from the past, check out our old stories about SkyOS.
Just "gratis for copying" is not enough for not getting lost in the mist of time since it does not help against bit rot: hardware moves on. At some point of time, it will get hard to get devices for this to run on.
You have to bring your own bits to the table to make it work. Amazon did it with the Kindle Fire, and Google has Google Play.
Because an Operating System isn't an Operating System, unless you can get a bundled app store with it...
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
Minix publish their source code under BSD 13 years ago (your link, second sentence). Its purpose was to provide a framework for OS programming. SkyOS is a one guy who wanted to code an OS and get paid for it. Hardly comparable.
Tomorrow is another day...
The last thing I come here to read is that somebody else doesn't care about something. What in the hell can I learn from that? I don't give a damn whether you care or not. If you have something useful to say, then say it. If not, shut the hell up.