[FreeVMS] New enthusiast.

[Roar Thronæs]

On Fri, Jun 02, 2017 at 10:49:38PM +0200, Guido wrote:
> 
> The resulting FreeVMS 0.3.x code is an operating system that has some 
> minimal VMS functionality. The downside is that it is presently still 
> based on the Linux 2.4.18 kernel code, but now it is outdated and 
> difficult to maintain. I tried to improve maintainability by eliminating 
> unused code, consolidating coding styles, adding a minimal test 
> framework, but I am afraid there is still a long way to go.

I would say that it is not based on Linux 2.4.18 anymore, even though it is the
newest kernel that was used.
(If you compare the sources, you will find almost all of 2.4.18 missing.)
It makes no sense upgrading the parts of the Linux kernel, since there
is very little remaining of it.
The major/important system calls in Linux just wrap to some
minimal VMS functionality.

So that means we are more or less on our own, and can not lean on Linux so
much. (Aside from using Debian and related tools to build FreeVMS.)

Newer Linux kernels may be used for borrowing hardware driver code,
but I would not say that is important now.
FreeVMS could for the time being live happily in some virtual machine,
with minimal drivers.

> The FreeVMS 0.4.x branch is a rewrite of FreeVMS based on the L4 micro 
> kernel (in an effort to overcome the problems with the 0.3.x branch 
> mentioned above, I assume). This branch did not get a lot of support 
> though and lacks functionality. I must admit that I considered 

The 0.4 branch is actually L4 with some text changes (I think it was the
last time I compared), so it has no VMS functionality.

> restarting form scratch myself several times, while working on the 0.3.x 
> code, so I can appreciate this effort too.
> 
> At present, I am not sure how to proceed. I believe there are different 
> options (some more viable than others):
> 
> 1. continue the 0.3.x branch
> 2. continue the 0.4.x branch

Also 2. is actually a restart from scratch.

> 3. restart from scratch
> 4. restart based on the latest Linux kernel
> 5. restart based on a different open source OS (possibly ReactOS?)

Restarting would be very hard, it requires a person with a lot of competence
and a lot of time available.

So I would go for 1. continue the 0.3.x branch unless someone with a lot
of competence and a lot of time show up.

> 6. start with a compatiblity layer that enables you to recompile VMS
>    software on Linux or Windows (to be incorporated the into FreeVMS)

I am not able to evaluate this option.

-- 
Regards,
Roar