[openbeos] beunited.org - from the horse's mouth
- From: "Donovan Schulteis" <deej@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 23:59:47 -0400
Wrong time to decide to spend 2 days away from the computer. :P
I know many want this thread to die, but I think I should speak.
First of all, this is not just about compatibility between OpenBeOS, Cosmoe,
BlueEyedOS, LeonardoOS and any others. Any of you that think there will be one
and only one OpenBeOS distribution are delusional. Sorry to be so frank, but
really, there are already talks of two separate distributions, and 3 other
companies that I know of thinking about their own. What happens when each
start
adding their own little tweaks and special APIs to their own versions and
things
start falling apart? Fragmentation. Broken applications. Disarray.
beunited.org does not seek to control where OpenBeOS goes. We seek to provide
a
table that all parties can come to and discuss how to keep the different
versions
and platforms API and usability -level compatible. Thus, we will create a
third
party, non-exclusive standard, to prevent any misgivings from other OSes that
think that beunited.org or OpenBeOS wants to fully control the actual standards
given.
The basis of the standards starting point is at R5 (OpenBeOS R1), and the
BeAPI.
Where it goes from there is anyone's guess. But if we can keep all the
different
players talking with each other, through beunited.org and maintaining the
beunited.org standards, applications will easily port between the platforms and
versions. This is very important, as we all know that BeOS itself suffered
greatly from the applications barrier to market entry. Once developers start
picking their "favorite" distribution, that splits up the available
applications
available for any given platform. Providing an easy means to port these
applications between platforms through standard APIs (much like Be did with PPC
and x86) is essential to the survival of any and all of the variations.
User interfaces should remain somewhat consistent as well. Certain icons,
buttons, menu items, etc, and the actions of which, should act somewhat similar
across platforms. Otherwise, one could learn one platform, but not be able to
figure out another. MS learned this early on, and that's why there are "tests
and
certifications" to create an application that follows the MS standard for
developers. They have achieved a consistancy across all Windows "platforms",
which is very attractive to both develoers and users, and has had some level of
contributing to the success of MS, methinks.
This is not to say that one distro or platform cannot replace things such as
Tracker or Deskbar - it is to say that there should be certain similarities
between variations that remain constant. What are these similarities that need
to
remain constant? We do not know yet, that is what the organization is for -
and
your participation is necessary.
Developers also need to know that if they develop for one platform or version,
that porting their application to another version _could be_ as simple as a
recompile. If it isn't, they should know where to go to get answers to make it
as
easy as possible.
beunited.org understands drivers will not port (different kernels in many cases
will absolutely prevent this), and that there will likely be some API
programming
tweaks needed (which should be well documented so developers can readily find
for
their porting efforts). But we must remain together in order to even attempt
to
succeed against operating systems already engrained into the market.
The marketing power combined will be greater if these things are in place.
Everything one distributor does also promotes, in an indirect way, beunited.org
and any other distributor if standards are adhered to. If users know that they
will be able to run any Open Source BeOS-compatible Operating System (OSBOS)
application on any OSBOS platform and it will function similarly, they won't be
afraid to experiment with different OSes, and thus choose the best one
available -
which I'm sure many of you hope to be yours - OpenBeOS. We are not creating a
RedHat Linux here, we are creating a UnitedLinux - funny how that initiative is
finally being begun way, way after it should have been started - and will take
much longer to gain traction than beunited.org will starting at this point now.
(BTW, beunited.org had our vision document created long before UnitedLinux was
announced ;) )
I will also say this - beunited.org has no plans to distribute a commercial
version of OpenBeOS. As of right now, we plan on providing a free,
unadulterated
(as it is in the OpenBeOS CVS tree - a Reference Platform (RP), if you wish to
view it), version available for a free download. We also plan to provide an
enhanced version (read: Pro) to our members which will included bundled and
exclusive applications. beunited.org is not a commercial company, and will not
sell any product.
beunited.org exists for the sole purpose of keeping all the creators of various
platforms and distributions at the same table to make sure no efforts are
wasted,
and that there is a thread of commonality between the variations.
I do not want to create these standards myself, nor do I even remotely think
that
I am qualified to. And nor does any current member of beunited.org. We want
all
members (developers AND users) of beunited.org to have a say in the
proceedings.
This means that each and every one of you need to participate for beunited.org
to
be successful. We only wish to provide the means for you to do so.
As with all things, there must be a final say in order to alleviate endless
arguing. But I will say that this final say will be fair and impartial to any
particular OS. Whether this means OpenBeOS could be "out-voted", I suppose it
could - but you are the bulk of the community here, and all a very smart bunch
of
chaps whom I trust will have equally smart solutions. OpenBeOS is already
emerging as a "heavyweight" in the post-BeOS world. But remember, OpenBeOS
itself
is NOT a distribution, but a freely available, open source OS that anyone can
change and distribute. The "RedHat of OpenBeOS" has yet to emerge, and cannot
until OpenBeOS is available as a complete OS.
So does this mean that beunited.org dictates where OpenBeOS goes with it's
directions and standards? As to nearly any answer to a technical question -
Yes,
and No. "Yes", because beunited.org will set _OSBOS_ standards, of which, we
hope
to have an extreme level of participation from OpenBeOS developers and users,
thus
you helping create your own standards, in an indirect way. But also "No",
because
at any point, the main tree of OpenBeOS could turn away from following these
standards should it be chosen as the right course of action for OpenBeOS -
losing
the ability to claim that they follow the standards, of course.
Also keep in mind that many of the key developers of OpenBeOS are also active
beunited.org participants, and vice versa. Like stated previously, we could
have
done this under the OpenBeOS name, but in the bigger picture, and to have a
greater chance of success, it is better to be separated from any particular
version or distribution or platform.
Admittedly, OpenBeOS, if as successful as you all want it to be, would carry a
ton
of weight in beunited.org and the creation of standards. But then, that's up
to
you. Do you want OpenBeOS to be that successful to have such weight?
Participate
in OpenBeOS. Keep driving as you are now. Do you want to put in the work to
make
sure everyone gets the chance to use nearly any OSBOS application on any OSBOS
platform through the creation of standards? Participate in beunited.org. Do
you
want OSBOS in general to have any chance of success, commercial or no?
Participate in both. Become a part of a bigger picture that beunited.org only
fills a very small part of.
beunited.org has spoken with the various team leads and active developers of
OpenBeOS and the other projects, and I think it is safe to say that they all
agree
with what we are doing, at least in principle. It is your choice, not
beunited.org's nor anyone else's. Where it goes from here, is up to you. We
can
only show you the door. So what will it be, the blue pill or the red one? :P
Nearly all of this was to be the topic in a "guest editorial" in the next
OpenBeOS
newsletter. However, Michael was right, it was something that needed said a
long
time ago, and should've been said already - specifically to avoid just such
threads on the mailing list. Much of this text will likely show up in that
editorial next issue, for the benefit of those not on this list, and for
"redundancy" reasons. ;)
Thanks for reading this far, and thank you to those that support and understand
what we are trying to do. :)
Deej
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