e-ball Awards 2010

2010-09-15 13:50:11 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

We are confident that to stimulate the development of software, it's necessary reward programs, not developers.

That's why we are going organize the "e-ball awards" together with www.ecomstation.com site

Submit your nominations within following categories:

• Best eComStation Application
• Best WorkPlace Shell Application
• Best eComStation Utility
• Best eComStation Driver
• Best eComStation Developer Tool
• Best eComStation Game
• Best eComStation tool for engineer/student
• Best eComStation web-site
• Best eComStation Automation program
• Best eComStation Widget
• Best eComStation Student Product
• Best Technical Article for eComStation Developers

Post your nominations via web-form (Send the name of program, category, homepage, why is it best?)

ATTENTION: We talk about programs created (or updated significantly) during 2010.

See also: e-ball Awards 2009 results

Mix of yellow leaf

2010-09-14 18:57:38 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Some news about eComStation from the Internet:

• What is new in eComStation 2.0? The user interface was extended (russian text, screenshots)
• New reseller of eComStation in Germany: Germany - AppFox.de
• Paul Smedley and other developers tried to port OpenWengo (IP-phone) to eComStation discussion in the forum
• OS/2 Museum: http://www.os2museum.com/wp/
• The page "eComStation + mobile toys" is updated (it is related to syncronization with mobile devices)
• Sigurd can use the stylus with his Lenovo Thinkpad X200T tablet now discussion, and here is the clip with demonstration

Translating eComStation programs to other language

2010-09-12 14:14:45 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

New season is starting, new users need programs translated to their language.

For example, it's necessary translate this programs to russian language:

• Search Plus, DataSeeker
• XWLAN
• NetDrive
• WarpIn
• XWorlPlace
• Cameraderie
• (more?)

(RUS) How to translate programs?

Contact us via web-form

Drivers for network adapters

2010-09-10 13:40:11 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Without the drivers for network adapters any operating system becomes unusable.

Ethernet drivers:

• Drivers for Intel Ethernet adapters are available for eComStation users (BETAZONE)
• The porting (from Linux) of drivers for Realtek and Broadcom (?) was started.

What to do with WiFi drivers? Main problem - how to interact with XWLAN?

• The source codes for Intel devices are open.
• Broadcom have opensourced the source code too (yesterday): Broadcom Releases Source Code For Drivers

WarpIn TOTAL - more than 10 programs re-packed

2010-09-09 16:05:33 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Creation of distribution package for WarpIn installer (RUS) http://ru.ecomstation.ru/showarticle.php?id=216

This programs were repacked to WarpIn:

• Gotcha-1_78.wpi (hobbes) -- (Martin Iturbide) -- Gotcha 1.78 (2007-12-03) Screen Capture WarpIn Installer
• DejaVu Fonts (hobbes)

This packages should be published in the next few days:

• About eComStation + databases -- About eComStation dialog + databases
• WarpOverlay! -- video-overlay, allows watch fullscreen
• INI Tools
• Animated Mouse Pointers
• Microsoft Fonts Pack
• File Commander
• VNC client
• SysInfo/2
• WaWe audio editor
• Cameraderie
• MED text editor
• All archivers

Opinion exchange: eCS as server for "small gadgets"

2010-09-03 19:26:03 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

The 'founding fathers' (Andy Porro, Ed Durrant, ..) said: "it's necessary be friends with small gadgets" (with mobile devices), this will help to eComStation to survive and extend market.

Let's discuss: how to use eComStation as server for communicators, tablets, players and mobile phones?

• use eCS as file server?
• server for backups?
• more ideas?

(we are going accumulate all ideas at new web-page)

WarpIn TOTAL - 3 programs packed

2010-09-02 02:21:07 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Creation of distribution package for WarpIn installer (RUS) http://ru.ecomstation.ru/showarticle.php?id=216

This programs were repacked to WarpIn:

• Gotcha-1_78.wpi -- (Martin Iturbide) -- Gotcha 1.78 (2007-12-03) Screen Capture WarpIn Installer
• About eComStation + databases -- About eComStation dialog + databases
• WarpOverlay! -- video-overlay, allows watch fullscreen

Roadmap of eComstation ahead (August 2010)

2010-08-30 17:25:40 -- Roderick Klein, Mensys BV [http://www.os2world.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,63/topic,2546.msg16732/topicseen,1/#new]

I'm posting this message because a discussion was running on OS2WORLD about a roadmap for eCS 2.0 and beyond. Please find my presentation from Warpstock 2009 in Stralsund and 2010 in Trier about eComStation 2.0 www.warpevents.eu for more details.

Mozilla: Mensys has provided funding so that Mozilla products like Firefox/Thunderbird will have printing support again (not created a PDF on the desktop). Expect a public release in the coming 2 to 3 weeks. These fixes will go of course into the public source tree so future builds will have printing support as well.

USB Stack: Work is still slowly on its way to improve the USB stack. But its a big job. At least another 2 to 3 months before a public release of a new driver package is to be expected. It will contain vastly improved USB host controller drivers for USB 1.1/2.0. USBD.SYS will have bug fixes and new versions of USBKBD.SYS and USBMOUSE.SYS have been made. It only makes sense to release this is a single package. Its after this that we will look at USB MSD support, that requires a whole lot more work. Currently USB 3.0 is not yet worked on since we need more stable base USB support. Currenly all USB 3.0 devices should be backwards compatible with USB 2.0.

Panorama VESA: Work to enhance Panorama graphics driver is still being worked on. Research in a generic wide screen enabler and a tool to always set MTRR registers on modern machines properly so you always have the proper performance. SNAP in that respect is not receiving updates for a different reasons. Part of these reasons is because we don't have the financial and human resources to support all graphics chipsets and the revisions.

Network card support: We just release the Intel NIC driver e1000e.OS2 that should support al current Intel gigabit chipset. We are looking at expanding this beyond to Realtek gigabit and Broadcom Gigabit. A new version of the Nvidia gigabit driver is on its way as well with bug fixes. No wireless support is currently planned as our cooperated customers have a need for wired support. Wireless support is planned to be worked on later this year.

Danis506: A new build of the Daniela IDE driver is being tested by a group of people. We hope to release that to hobbes within the next week or so. AHCI driver is right now under development. Time frame is hard to give when this driver is released. At Mensys we hope to receive a binary version of the driver within the next 2 weeks or so. But this binary build is for internal testing only.

Flash 10 plugin: Flash 10 required some extensive debugging but we hope todo a release within the next month. Some of the hangs on SMP where caused by a bug in ODIN.

Uniaud: Uniaud is still receiving updates and we have pretty good current audio support.

OpenOffice.org: In about 2 weeks time we will release OpenOffice 3.2 to the public (people who have an active software subscription can then download it).

More: More stuff on the way but as you can see plenty of stuff being worked. And some things have an uncertain time frame when its released. This to make certain the drivers/software simply have a decent level of functionality (that is not crashing).

So far 2010 is the best year in terms of sales to companies using eComStation. This has enabled us to even hire more people to get work done.

The latest summer news

2010-08-29 01:40:13 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Some news about eComStation:

1) Help us to compile Sunny Pills game (it's open-source now) sNOa game pack

 
2) The users are discussing hot topics in the forum

• System log utility
• How to improve external view of eComStation apps
• OpenOffice.org bug-reports (OpenOffice.org is the best application of 2009 -- e-ball Awards 2009)

 
3) You can find positive testimonials about new version of eComStation: www.os2.de

 
4) Let's break the birthday of Windows 95, people are discussing OS/2: here (comments: Windows 95 turns 15: Has Microsoft's OS peaked?)

 
5) Full list of bug-trackers of eComStation software: list

 
6) eComStation.RU is hosting many projects, we have some new pages now (full list): a) File Open Container, b) ATM, c) LiveBook, d) sysinfo utilities

 
7) eCo Software is asking users test some applications:

• Does eSchemes work with current version of eCo Software runtime?
• Does DVD Toys work with ACPI kernel?
• Is it comfortable input text on computer with touchscreen and Virtual Keboard/2 ?

The 8-th edition of OS/2 API Research book

2010-08-28 00:56:27 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

The book should prove to be a valuable reference as well as an informative tutorial for Control Program and Presentation Manager programming.

The book answers to questions: Why we use OS/2? Why competitors always bury OS/2? What is the future of OS/2? etc.

Whatsnew: Modern calls from eToolkit, LANGE, libKVA.

OS/2 API Research book is available from hobbes (Author: Sergey Posokhov; Language: Russian)

eComStation resellers

2010-08-24 19:28:45 -- eCo Shop [eCo Shop]

Here is the list of eComStation resellers.

How to support eComStation? Please press your resellers

• request for detailed catalogue. Not eCS only but ask about shareware products too. This makes the reseller work better.
• buy eCS PC from reseller. not in super-market.

Opinion exchange: advice for novice users, back to 90-th

2010-08-23 15:03:19 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Some users are interested to know:

Question 1: Do Novice users have problems with eComStation? Let's make an advice for such novice users.

Question 2: Do you see actual reviews in the magazines? Interesting reviews of software OR history OR Hardware review OR articles for students (TeX, etc) OR .. ?

• eComStation.RU library
• os2ezine.com library
• os2voice.org library, (the link to old articles 1998..2005 is broken, so use web archieve: 1998, ..)

eCo Labs - more tasks

2010-08-22 13:12:58 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

eCo Software published more tasks for standalone developers. This is the only way to find new developers.

For example,

• additional libraries for developers of PM applications
• How to prepare .wpi packages
• Remake Impos/2 utility
• create more modules for Doodle screensaver
• create more eCenter widgets
• write more reviews of software
• etc

Moreover, we remind to the developers that the main goal today - develop programs aimed to make (generate) money. The users need tools to "make money".

Community of eComStation users

2010-08-22 08:53:03 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

1) Warpstock USA is over

Mark Dodel said that more than 20 users attended the event, some photos, The users could chat with Mensys via Skype and discuss eCS plans.

2) Inteviews: Added links to podcasts of eCS users

Added two interviews to the page with interviews

3) eComStation.TV

eComStation.TV: added links to podcasts + 2 new clips in "desktop and applications" section.

How to influence on the community?

• you can write articles (and publish on eComStation.RU -> Articles section)
• Visit Warpstock and Warpstock Europe conferences. Btw, where to organize the next conference? how to make it successful? are you going make a presentation?
• Share links to eComStation and applications among your friends and colleagues.

WarpIn TOTAL - repack everything to WarpIn!

2010-08-18 00:21:42 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

Old users are tired to install software manually, New users are not ready to read many docs and use command line. That's why it's so important to re-pack 100 must-have apps and tools to .wpi format.

Which programs to re-pack?
What do users install on fresh eCS installation? Here is the list: Essentials

How to install every program?
Let's discuss, which objects to create on desktop, etc. (the table will be published in the next few days)

We are going mention the names of users participating in the campagin in the WarpIn TOTAL newsletters.

Uniaud driver is usable now

2010-08-17 22:44:05 -- Eugene Gorbunoff [ecomstation.ru]

New version is recommended for users with HDAudio adapter.

UniAud versions 1.9.24 and 2.1.1 have been updated (8/13/2010). Homepage of UNIAUD

in these releases, the driver code is based on ALSA 1.0.21 and 1.0.23, respectively. This is based on the GPL ALSA Project from Linux and provides drivers for various sound chipsets, including HDA, AC97, and PCI cards. Note that there are some known problems with the 2.1.x series, such as "pops" at the end of WAV files. In addition, the cause of repeating system sounds has been found to be a bug in IBM's SND.DLL, and a workaround created. See more: eComStation bug-tracker (login via ecomstation.com)