CUPS requirements so far...

So far I have found the following requirements for the various parts of CUPS:

Perl 5.8.0
file 3.31
automake 1.8
autoconf 2.58
libm 5.4
libxml 2.6.2

Now:
perl 5.8.0 exists.
file 3.31 seems to be ported with no problems.
autoconf 2.58 I had to do a dirty port as BeOS R5 doesn't support flock
automake 1.8 can be ported after autoconf 2.58 (done)
libm 5.4 needs to be ported. I haven't yet managed to create the static library, however using trig.h PI definitions from Haiku makes it compile. Any help?
libxml 2.6.2 was a surprise as it seems to be ported with no problems. At the time of this post my dev system is running the libxml tests.

Update: Found out that ginstall is also needed. No time to check on that now. Be back tomorrow.

Now this IS cross platform!

BeDMDiceRoller running on Suse Linux with Flyab, without any change. Great work Team Maui

More on CUPS

I managed to compile the cups 1.1.23 source tree, but no drivers yet and it gives a Missing library error on startup. Probably I need to compile the rest of the cups tree as it contains the drivers and a database driven system for intergrating the drivers, called Foomatic.

To build Foomatic, I need the unix utility called File. I downloaded it and started porting that too. The newest version however did not compile due to the usage of mmap. So I downloaded an older version and it compiled after tampering a little with its code.

Tomorrow I will look into compiling the rest of the tree. But first I need to read a bit more on the architecture of CUPS.

CUPS

Today I restarted work on BeOS Max V4 and I had an epiphany...while talking to my BeOS friends on IRC who suggested it :-). Why not try and see what would be involved in porting CUPS to BeOS R5. It has already been ported to Zeta with success, so I downloaded the source code and started playing with it.

3 hours into fiddling with the source code, I have managed to compile more than 70% of CUPS. A few functions are missing from BeOS, but I believe I can have it fully compiled. Having it work though is another issue!

Max update

It has been almost 3 weeks since my last post on the blog. I am currently under a lot of pressure from work, so it is going slowly. I won't be able to have a final release next month, so I will be giving a second Beta.

This beta will include the Haiku usb stack as an option. If it is detected that your system isn't supported by the R5 USB stack, the Haiku stack will be automatically installed, otherwise you will have to select it.

I will be keeping you up to date on progress. Thanks.

Disappointed with Bernd

Although I consider Bernd Korz a friend since I have met him personally at Cebit a few years ago and I liked him, I am disappointed by his actions. Without offering any apology or explanation for the legal status of Zeta he closed his blog and he is not to be seen in the Zeta/BeOS (now only BeOS) community. He should at least do that.

Don't get me wrong, this is not about the legal case, for which if ACCESS didn't care why should I, but it is about consistency. I have made some mistakes too, but I like to admit them so I can move on, or if I am misunderstood I like to give explanations.

Well, Bernd, if you are reading this, we are waiting. Please respond either way.

Haiku Distroes

I put a piece of news yesterday on BeOSMax.org, that work on WalterOS, a haiku distro is starting. This seems to have caused some debate on OSNews and on the OpenBeOS mailing list.

So to explain:

I personally believe that there should be rules when making a distro outside the rules of MIT, GPL and usage of brand names like the Haiku name. Those rules should be set by the team that controls the main system repository, and this is Haiku. All others should follow those rules.

I have no intention what so ever to cause any trouble for Haiku or to make an obscure claim to fame. Haiku has already said that they wouldn't want a distro before R1 is out and I agree with them completely. Also I don't have to be the one leading the distro that comes out if it is one, or even one of the distroes that come out. I just want to be a part of it. This is not about leaders it is about working to create.

Back in the early days of BeUnited, in September 2002, I had an offer to work with Simon Gauvin on a distro of Haiku for BeUnited and I accepted it. BeUnited however dissolved so I guess we can't do that. But I can surely work with others.

I can even say I had 2 offers of people wanting to work with me (in just under 24 hours!!). One of them was planning his own distro but thought it would be better if more people united.

So, this stage is just planning. It is not implementing anything, and all plans will be discussed with the community.

The only thing I hold for my self is the joy of participating in the effort to bring down Microsoft...

If you have any questions feel free to ask them. I will try to answer them all.

going on....

For those who haven't followed what has been happening the last few days you can read this: Zeta Officially a Dead Fish

and this: ACCESS Confirms Zeta BeOS Version Infringing

I have talked with David Schlesinger, the Director of Open Source Technologies at ACCESS on the matter of BeOS Max, and he told me that he sees no reason to interfere with the project. This is not official support, but it is the best we can do for now.

A change is comming...

You can actually feel it in the wind. A sudden change in the Force as a Star Wars fun might say, or the wake of a time-space distortion if you prefer Star Trek.

The demise of Zeta is a sad day for the community. I personally wish it was able to find new funding, but it seems 3 in a row is too much. So what change am I talking about?

Well, I think Haiku will and should try to get the rights to the code written for Zeta, specifically drivers. Imagine R1 getting out with SATA support. Perhaps it is too early yet, but I think an exploratory contact should be made with Bernd.

Yabbing on...

I have worked a bit with Yab, and I found it extremely easy to program with and quite powerful. Now, of course you won't create a Diablo killer with it, or an office suite, but certain software and utilities can easily be created with yab.

A few features that should be added for a version 2 would be SQL support (SQLite and Postgres for starters), attribute and query support (after all we are talking about BeOS) and perhaps basic network support. What do you think?

stop the presses

I here by stop every activity related to BeOS. My reasons are explained here. Thank you.

Haiku or what?

On the previous post a discussion has started that seems interesting. Instead of answering in comments I thought it would be an interesting article. So here we go:

Emil, posted a comment that proposes a few things and a short reply by two more bloggers followed (read them here). So here is my response:

Development of Haiku is now in a very good stage, and being a clean room implementation of BeOS R5 has advantages that I am afraid buying the code from Access won't have.

To elaborate, even if Access sold the rights to the code, they wouldn't allow certain patents to go with it. So open sourcing the code would be illegal even if someone owned it. Only Access can open source it and I don't think it will or will sell it for any amount under the 11 million US$ it cost Palm.

Even with 1/100th of that amount, haiku can go far and finish at least R1. So perhaps calling for a Haiku donation round would be better. We should address that question to Michael Phipps.

To start, I have already given about 200$ to the Haiku project in one way or another (mostly with direct donations) but I will be willing to put out another 200$ if an organized donation round starts.

Continuity of magnussoft Zeta

It seems that Magnussoft was expecting Zeta to bring profit very quickly. I don't know how much they have invested, but the short period they had financed Zeta for wasn't enough to bring more sales. Features like Multiuser and a couple of games are fine, but it needs more to get out there.

Fortunately they appear to be listening to the community as the post on the Zeta-OS site says. We will wait and see. Perhaps the horse isn't dead yet. Perhaps it is just a tired little pony :-)

BeOS Max gets Wireless

Today I added some wireless drivers and tested them with real hardware I happened to have. Guess what (it's easy). They work great. So for now, Intel PRO Wireless 2100 and 2200BG are supported. The second seems to be found on a number of laptops, and mine has it too.

Intel PRO Wireless 2200BG work is closed source, so I have sent an email asking for permission from Patrick Lafarguette to use it in Max. Intel PRO Wireless 2100 is open sourced and it is the work of Michael Lotz.

No... not again!!!

Being a member of the BeOS/Haiku community for 7 years now, has been very exciting and it has also been a series of joys and disappointments. Lately everything had been going quite well... so I thought we are out of the woods. And then this happens. I guess you have heard about Zeta and Magnussoft. They have parted ways. This is the third time this has happened with this OS.

My personal belief is that Magnussoft should have tried more. However it is their decision and we can do nothing but respect that. As for Zeta, it is a great product and I have used it since RC1. It has made great strides and works with much more hardware than any other BeOS variant or derivative.

I disagree with those who say that there is no place for BeOS, Haiku or Zeta in the marketplace. I believe that those OSes are what an OS should be. Blazing fast and simple. Neither Windows nor MacOS X have that. As for Linux, despite its success (heck, I am using it as my main OS 50% of the time), it is becoming bloated and slow, and has more hardware problems than most people would care to admit (just try getting the latest ATI or NVidia card to work with it in 3D).

However, I agree that the price of Zeta is too high. Perhaps that is a problem. I mean, with my income it is not hard to put aside 100Euro every now and then for software, but it isn't so for every computer geek.

Finally I wish Bernd and his team the best. I hope they find a new home for Zeta soon. I wish I had a few million to spare...

First impressions...

Anyone care to comment on Max V4 beta 1? Have you installed it? How did you download it (link or torrent?). Do you have a mirror site for it? Is it missing something important or something you use every day?

Post comments here. Later I will prepare a special forum for discussing V4 b1 and post the link here.

Fire away...

Max V4 beta 1

Go to BeOSMaxFiles.org to download the first beta of Max V4. Enjoy and give feedback.

Update: A torrent is now available at ThePirateBay

Beta Version

A beta of Max V4 is being uploaded as I write these lines. Beware, this version is not for the faint hearted, although it is as stable as it can be since only a few things have changed in the driver section.

Also, it doesn't include the MaxUpdater yet, as it isn't ready.

It will take several hours to upload it on BeOSMaxFiles.org, since I only have a 256kbps upstream speed.

Anyone who wishes to try it and give me feedback is welcome to download it as soon as I have the link up.

Things that will be added in the next few days, on route to a beta 2, will be the Haiku Built system and several dev utilities. For the final version there will be 3 releases. A MiniMax with only basic system and apps, DevMax with all essential tools and Max (with everything on top...)

A few steps forward.

Did some cleaning up of the system today, updated the default bookmarks for Firefox 2.0 and added some feeds. It would be interesting to know what feeds the BeOS community follows more (even outside the confines of Haiku/BeOS) so I can include them, so don't be shy and comment.

One major update I did today was the inclusion of USB Patches so more usb devices will work.

Development on Max V4 restarts today

After a month and a half pause, development will restart tonight. The pause was due to the workload I had. This is all behind me now and I am returning to my normal routine.

You may have noticed I already did some work on the HaikuMax.org site. I will update you with my progress starting tonight.