SkyOS Beta8 was released to testers about week ago to the beta testers, this release focusing on the new networking abilities, the new ISS, and of course the latest patches and programs. I decided to write a quick overview of it, to better expose SkyOS from just an average users point of view.
Intro
Before I begin my overview of beta8, I want to brush on some of the new features and goals of this beta, and the new components that came with it.Beta8, in the SkyOS community, is known as the “Networking Beta.” With this release, networking has been re-enabled once again and is ready for testing along with the Links Browser (While SkyKruzer is being worked on). Some notable additions for this release are the new developer tools (GCC 3.4, Binutils, Python), Integrated Streaming System (with added video support and some new features), and the numerous bug fixes and other small features.
I began my adventure by downloading the newly released 212mb Beta8 CD from the SkyOS website and burning it onto a CD.I decided I was going to install it not only onto VirtualPC (for the convenience and ability to capture screenshots), but also attempt to install it on my IBM Laptop, HP Desktop and ancient Sony Desktop. Here are the basic specs for
the computers:
The IBM Laptop
- 800 MHz Celeron
- 128 MB Ram
- 11g HD
The HP Desktop
- 1.1 GHz Celeron
- 246 MB Ram
- 20g HD
The Sony Desktop
- 238 MHz PIII
- 64Mb Ram
- 3.8g HD
The Installation
On the two desktop machines I was not able to complete the installation successfully.With the HP, the installer froze before it even started, right after I selected SkyOS from the GRUB menu.After some tinkering with it I gave up and moved onto the Sony machine. With the Sony, the installation would work perfectly until the copying of the files to the HD.Right as it began to copy it would bring up an error telling me that base.pkg couldn’t be copied because the Installation Information was not there. I found this weird because my install on my laptop went fine, and I was using the same CD for both. I submitted the bug to the bug tracker, and am awaiting the response. When installing on the laptop though, I was able to get everything to run smoothly.
I inserted my freshly burned CD and successfully booted into the SkyOS installer via GRUB.After moving easily through the first few setup screens I was prompted to partition the HD.The graphical partition program included is simple and effective, and within seconds I had deleted my windows NTFS partition and created a new SkyFS one. My only complaint was that I couldn’t get it to expand to the full 11 GB, it insisted that I could use only 3.3 maximum. This may have just been my error, and if not I’m sure Robert will be swift in creating a patch for this. I was forced to reboot after this, and continued with my installation. At the next step I was allowed to choose which applications to include. I left it with all the apps selected, and it began to install the packages.All the files were copied successfully, albeit a bit slowly, and I was ready to begin.
First Boot
The SkyOS boot is smooth and easy, and the only “ugly” underlying code you have to look at is the GRUB boot loader. I was greeted by a simple and professional login screen with two automatically created accounts, Test and Admin. The install hadn’t given me an option to create my own username and password, so I just clicked Admin and then login (no password was required).From there, the default desktop loaded instantly, and I was ready to go.
Hardware Support
On the first boot, a notification window slid up and told me my USB port was recognized, but the USB functionality has been disabled until beta9 so Robert can focus on the networking issues.
My sound card is not supported, so I was not allowed to use the MP3 player or Media player in this version. Just for kicks I inserted a Dashboard Confessionals CD I owned and attempted to mount it, but was given a message about an “IO error.” Lesson: no matter how nice the new ISS is, a good portion of users aren’t going to be able to use it if there aren’t more sound card drivers included by the final.
I was glad to see that my ATI Rage graphic card was supported in SkyOS, so soon after booting into it I opened the Display
configuration center and tried to switch from the VESA 2.0 driver to the ATI one.Unfortunately, when I tried this I would either have the screen flicker for a few seconds and return to the VESA driver, or have the whole OS freeze as I clicked apply settings. So to my dismay I was forced to use the VESA driver, and wait until my submitted bug was fixed.
My pointing stick on my IBM laptop worked nicely, along with the two basic PS2 mice that I plugged in (no configuration needed either). Later, I plugged in my wireless Logitech mouse, which to my great surprise, also worked nicely after a quick reboot.
The Programs
SkyOS comes with a decent amount of default programs included, depending on where you come from. It has nothing near the usually fully loaded Linux Distros, but it has quite a few more when compared to the sparse Windows default install. The problem is, some important ones are missing, and some odd choices are included. Links is the only available browser, while SkyKruzer is being finished.The personal organizer/email client being worked on by Nemo (from the SkyOS forums) is still in progress and not yet available (so no email).The GIMP, Blender3d, and Bochs were included by default, when instead making them available from the Software Store would probably make more sense. I noticed that most of the GTK programs ran really slowly, though due to the beta stage these issues will most likely be smoothed out before the release.
Networking
Unfortunately, I do not have high speed access, and I forgot the password to my dialup, so I was unable to test the networking. Though this may seem fairly ironic considering I’m writing about the “networking” release, the only programs you can really test online at this time are Links and GAIM. From reading posts in the forum, both are a bit buggy (GAIM is miserably slow) at this point, if you can manage to get your internet up and running.The SkyOS software store runs well, and from what I hear gets the job done just fine.I also read about a complaint or two with slow speeds, but I can’t confirm that.
Look n’ Feel
For some screenshots of the latest WindUI, visit SkyOS.org
The SkyOS GUI, named WindUI, has come a long way and I think looks very good these days.The only problem is that not all the widgets and elements of it totally fit together yet. The scrollbars are flat, square and blank while the rest is rounded and smooth. The min, max and close buttons look washed out and are also square too. Along with those many other smaller widgets have a different “feel” when compared to the overall look (mouse over effect differences, sizing issues, jagged edges). While it might sound like I’m a being bit harsh, you also must realize that this is a beta, and that most of these problems should be fixed by the final.
SkyOS is in the same position in the “feel” department as it is in the looks.Everything is fairly snappy (excluding the GTK apps) and minus the occasional crash, everything feels stable.Some things that bothered me:
- Must click the mouse to open some submenus (ex: when you right click)
- Can’t right click on the start menu’s applications to do anything with them
- Many useful options missing from right-click menu
- Tearing and trailing
- Icon spacing in certain parts
- Start menu looks buggy in “flat” mode
- Other included themes unfinished/buggy
Conclusion
SkyOS is definitely maturing into a beautiful OS. The boot screen is simple and informative, as is the login screen.The design of SkyOS could be describes as a mix between windows (GUI and API), Linux (Filesystem Structure and Applications), and Mac (Simplicity).The speed overall is great, and the focus and community are perfect. SkyOS beta8 shows many improvements and lots of hope for the future, but also feels like it’s quite a ways away from being called “commercial.”The OS is mature in certain areas, but still lacks enough supported drives and also a lot of polish.The current beta is usable but unstable, and the GUI still needs work until it reaches a level of consistency that’s high enough to be called sellable. With some more months of hard work from the SkyOS “team” we can expect a solid OS that lives up to all the controversy and excitement that circles around it.I enjoyed my trip through beta8, and without a doubt will buying the final release when it comes out.
About the Author:
Nate Wienert is a 15 year old student that has been a participant in the SkyOS community for a couple years now, and runs the SkyOS community website SkyOSnet. Currently he slaves over multiple webdevelopment projects, with a dash of tennis and school on top.
If you would like to see your thoughts or experiences with technology published, please consider writing an article for OSNews.
Recap:
-3 machines, 2 failed to install
-partitioning is messed up
-usb detected but wasent functional(intentional)
-no sound
-ati drivers don’t work
-only decent apps were 3rd party OSS(ran poorly,GAIM,etc)
– the author couldnt setup his dialup because he forgot his passwd
But hey, it looks pretty!!! If SkyOS is the future, I’ll eat my hat!
Something I realy don’t like… I’ve paid my 30$ to get the beta. 8 days later, still nothing, no e-mail, no download link. I’ve send an e-mail to Kelly and i’m again waiting.
So right now, I can’t comment on SkyOS. All I can say is good luck to other people that wants the beta….!
the last time i used skyos i think it was in revision 3 (how can we be up to version 5 when it’s not nearly done yet??)
i’d like to check it out again, but it appears that i need to pay them to become a beta tester. where i work, people get paid good money to test software, and i don’t think any of them would be willing to pay to have their job. this microsoft-like, pay-to-test business model is for the birds.
I also beta tested 8. Personally I have not had any issues with installing, but I have only used the one PC. I suffer from driverless syndrome. I also think that it is coming along nicely. The only one real complaint that I have is sometimes “supported” hardware doesn’t work. Like his ATI graphics card and my NVidia card, they are both “supported” but don’t actually work. While I know that they are working on it, it is a bit frustrating. I still see drivers as the main hurdle for this OS, like most other open source OSes. But, I personally like the “look and feel” of this OS more than any of the Linux distros that I have tried.
My only complaint was that I couldn’t get it to expand to the full 11 GB, it insisted that I could use only 3.3 maximum.
It puts 3.3 as default. Just type in the number of megabytes, that’s all it takes. My Beta 8.2 is on a 11 GB partition….
>But, I personally like the “look and feel” of this OS more
>than any of the Linux distros that I have tried.
You can make kde/gnome/blackbox/fluxbox/windowmaker etc. look like what you want it to look like. I would more worry about the working of an OS its security, it possiblities etc, than its looks.
That said i would like to know more about the working of the OS, its preformance, its possibilities, its networking, its security model etc.
Machine Number 3 is a 238 MHz PIII
I’ve always wanted one of them!
SkyOS’ security setings are extremely advanced. One can set rules per file, per directory, per group of files, per user, per groups of users, etc.
Also, one can make their own rules. So, basically, the possibilities are limitless. And all this in a nice, and easy to understand GUI accesible and integrated into the System Manager.
I like the way SkyOS looks and feels right out of the box,so to speak. I have played around with Linux and can make it work for me and use it. However it takes a lot of tweaking to get it there for me. I also find linux somewhat unresponsive. Every distro that I have tried is “click” wait, wait, wait. Program might start, might have to click again. No, don’t give me a list of 50 different things I could MANUALLY do to improve it. I just like the way SkyOS feels right from the default install. No special tweaking necessary.
>SkyOS’ security setings are extremely advanced. One can set
>rules per file, per directory, per group of files, per user,
>per groups of users, etc.
Sound great…
Where does it store that information in the system does it use shadow and encrypted files or one big config file.
Does it today support any form of network protocol like nfs or smb maybe ldap? is it already usable in a network envoirment?
>I also find linux somewhat unresponsive. Every distro that I
>have tried is “click” wait, wait, wait. Program might start,
>might have to click again. No, don’t give me a list of 50
>different things I could MANUALLY do to improve it.
Its normal that if you click you have to wat because a program needs to startup. I am not sure how long it takes but if you take any modern Linux with kde 3.2 > the gui is very responsive. I run Mandrake 10.01 on my 800mhz laptop with kde 3.2 , Baghira and kxdocker, shadows and x.org transparancy on, and its still very responsive.
Ok OpenOffice still takes some time but that is an application not my de or os.
That’s why I use BeOS: applications open instantly. No kidding. No delay.
SkyOS is aiming at the same market as Windows, MacOSX and Linspire if you ask me. I am a beta user for Linspire 5 and all i can say is that if SKyOS want to come even close to Linspire and Linux it has to become free available or open-source. I think not many are going to pay for something
wich can not do anything Windows can..sorry to say that but i has not a chance but i do like alternatives so its more than welcome.
Linspire 5 will prob. change the way people think about ILnux is slow, difficult and un-userfriendly.
Its so goddamn fast..detects and configures all wireless pcmcia cards, joysticks, scanners, printers, pdas, usb, videocards, commercial ati/nvidia support, s-ata, sound, chipset i got my hand on. Its becoming good very good.
CNR is a breeze even for Windows users, click install ready, running. (aldough is still unavailable in Thrillseeker).
You are making thing more beautifull than the are Thom, I run and have run Beos from day 1 but Mozilla takes over 4 secs on my p4 2.8 ghz. Its fast very fast but instantly is BS. Nothing is instant except for custard.
>That’s why I use BeOS: applications open instantly. No
> kidding. No delay.
Mozilla ont BeOS isn’t native. Try opening Net+, NetPenguin or whatever. Load time: none.
Netpositive loads fast but it has a delay besides that netpositive is not a quality browser and has been unsuported for at least 5 years. It renders like crap and i only use it to visit bebits because its it the bookmarks.
Dillo on Linux loads in a flash too but its crap too.
I only can compare apples to apples not apples to oranges.
I love Beos but its becoming a myth and myths are often spiced up because of pleasant flashbacks…
Whats about freeing SkyOS for good?
That has been discussed before and the reason the will not is that the are too scared it gets fragmented..a good reason i guess.
Please don’t start ‘why not GPL it?”ing
> I still see drivers as the main hurdle for this OS, like most other open source OSes.
SkyOS is NOT open source, and even if it look great, I won’t pay to beta-test it since I have Linux that is free, open-sourced and work so well on my computer.
but on the other hand they (skyos team) help other software to fragment even more…is a double moral if you ask me.
If there was no GPL software….there would be no SkyOS.
“but on the other hand they (skyos team) help other software to fragment even more…is a double moral if you ask me.
If there was no GPL software….there would be no SkyOS.”
if there was no GPL software there would be no Linux, only:
– Windows
– SkyOS
– BSD
– MacOS X
– Solaris
– HP-UX
– Irix
– QNX
skyOS would still be there as it isnt GPL so your logic is flawed, there would be more developers for skyOS if GPL didnt exist as people wouldn’t go “why pay when i can get Linux?”
>if there was no GPL software there would be no Linux
Linux was published under the GPL because its was there, if the GPL was not the i am sure LInus would have choose another license or made one himself.
>skyOS would still be there as it isnt GPL so your logic is
>flawed
SkyOS is almost only running GPL software. Without the software itsuseless besides that i also think the skyos team has learned a lot from other GPL software because they could look into the code, that is not forbidden its even encourargd by the GPL.
My statement of SkyOS being not there if GPL software did not exist maybe indeed false but it sure as hell helped a
lot.
> if there was no GPL software there would be no Linux, only:
> Windows, SkyOS, …
But without GPL & OpenSource-Software SkyOS was nearly “empty” and maybe had no drivers at all (i thing they took most driver-definitions from linux/freeBSD)
What Robert made is nearly a miracle, but maybe he would earn more fame & money by building an POSIX Micro-Kernel which could replace Linux-Kernel and provide it under GPL…
…and dont believe the myth GPL is forcing “forking” look at Linux, there are actually no forks, so what?
SkyOS is almost only running GPL software.
Since when is it prohibited to use GPL software on a closed source operating system? We might have to talk to Microsoft…
Using GPL software on an operating system does not force the OS to be GPL as well. If you don’t believe me, read the GPL FAQ at http://www.gnu.org .
But without GPL & OpenSource-Software SkyOS was nearly “empty” and maybe had no drivers at all (i thing they took most driver-definitions from linux/freeBSD)
No, you are confusing SkyOS with Syllable there, who simply ported Linux drivers over to their system.
…and dont believe the myth GPL is forcing “forking” look at Linux, there are actually no forks, so what?
Mmm, try to make a single RPM or DEB that works on all 200+ Linux distributions, including menu entries and such. Good luck.
umm BeOS is defunct though. Do you mean YellowTab/Zeta that you are using?
>SkyOS is almost only running GPL software.
>Since when is it prohibited to use GPL software on a closed
>source operating system? We might have to talk to
>Microsoft…
Its not forbidden nor did anyone say that.
I pointed out to the fact that GPL software has made/helped SkyOS to something it is today. If it was not for GPL software
things would have different. I encourage the skyos team the use/port and intergrate gpl software in its os but what i do not understand is that they are so affraid and unwilling to give something back.
I also think it would make much more sense if SkyOS was freely available (does not have to be open-source or gpl)
so i can compete to the freely available Linux and BSD.
I encourage the skyos team the use/port and intergrate gpl software in its os but what i do not understand is that they are so affraid and unwilling to give something back.
All changes have been sent or are sent back to the original dev’s. I don’t understand how the maintainers of AbiWord, GAIM etc could profit from opening the source of SkyOS. Those maintainers are the only ones allowed to say anything about this isssue, or demanding stuff. You are in no way affiliated to these pieces of software nor their dev teams, and therefore you have no right to demand anything. Those maintainers and the SkyOS team communicate with eachother, and between them there is no form of dissatisfaction or whatsoever. Who are you to question that and them?
SkyOS as is, is completely legal, and completely GPL compliant. Stop the unfounded demands, please.
>You are in no way affiliated to these pieces of software nor
>their dev teams, and therefore you have no right to demand
>anything.
You have to start actually reading.
I never demanded anything form SkyOS or the GPL software its uses, i merly stated some things.
The goal of SkyOs is to become one day a common used OS like Linux or Windows. I do not see how they can achief this without making the OS freely available.
>could profit from opening the source of SkyOS
Opening the source of SkyOS might help it to get spread more widley if SkyOS is spread more widely so will the apps it runs..get it?
>SkyOS as is, is completely legal, and completely GPL
>compliant.
Again you are not reading what is being said here NOBODY talked about legal issues just you, yourself and you..
“…and dont believe the myth GPL is forcing “forking” look at Linux, there are actually no forks, so what?”
okay so that means i can i run any rpm on any Linux based distro any application with no problems…?
im a SuSE Linux guy have been since SuSE 7.0 before that i was RedHat, having systems made up of different Patches, drivers, installation systems and programs is forking in my opinion as its not the same as the others.
and you cant say i meant the kernel, as you were implying it to GNU/Linux the Os not the Kernel.
yeah i use linux one of the reasons i like it is because of its diversity but to say it isnt forked (fragmented) is just abit far fetched but thats my opinion
I must apologize, since it seemed as if the post was directed only and completely at you. I stand corrected: it was a general comment, not one specificaly towards you.
“.The personal organizer/email client being worked on by Nemo (from the SkyOS forums)”
Chris marshall (Centimetre) and w5 are working on the app above not Nemo
…and dont believe the myth GPL is forcing “forking” look at Linux, there are actually no forks, so what?
It’s already been picked up by a couple of people so I won’t give the full rant, just a taster.
They’re called patchsets (Eg the pre-emption set of patches by Con Kolivas). If they’re good/useful/popular enough they end up in the vanilla Linux kernel. Something like the gentoo gaming-sources kernel is NOT a vanilla kernel (Although strangely enough there are no dumbass ‘tainted’ warnings about using non-Vanilla code), the difference is that only parts of it have been forked, not the whole thing. Sooner or later one of the big distributors will come up with an incompatible patchset that they think they absolutely have to have and that’ll be the first major fork.
Oh, and by the way. To the author:
The personal organizer/email client being worked on by Nemo (from the SkyOS forums) is still in progress and not yet available (so no email).
Error there. Personal Organizer is the work of Centimetre and w5. Nemo is working on SkIRC and other things too, as far as I can recall.
They’re called patchsets
—
patch sets are part of every major development code and are not a sign of forks. esp con kolivas sync his patch sets every now and then and has clearly accepted that it is experimental
patch sets are not something new. -ac(alan cox) path sets exist for a very long time for experimental features. there are several other trees with different focuses. example -tiny for small systems.
“Sooner or later one of the big distributors will come up with an incompatible patchset that they think they absolutely have to have and that’ll be the first major fork”
this is again false. redhat already has a 4g/4g patch which wont be upstreamed. this isnt a sign of a major fork. just a additional burden for distributors who want to maintain their own patches for various reasons.
this is not unique to linux alone either. for example samba and samba-ng or gaim and gaim-vv.
today the amount of effort required to fork linux is to put it midly “HUGE”. so it has no reasons to fork unless there is a extremely major disappointment with the current development process in which case this fork would be of course validated and end users would benefit from this. example would xfree86 and xorg.
when people mention forks they forget that some forks are actually beneficial to end users and that the fear of forking in the kernel is largely unsubstantiated
quoteth: http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOT…
2. Copyrights etc
This kernel is (C) 1991 Linus Torvalds, but all or part of it may be
redistributed provided you do the following:
– Full source must be available (and free), if not with the
distribution then at least on asking for it.
– Copyright notices must be intact. (In fact, if you distribute
only parts of it you may have to add copyrights, as there aren’t
(C)’s in all files.) Small partial excerpts may be copied
without bothering with copyrights.
– You may not distibute this for a fee, not even “handling”
costs.
Mail me at “[email protected]” if you have any questions.
Sadly, a kernel by itself gets you nowhere. To get a working system you
need a shell, compilers, a library etc. These are separate parts and may
be under a stricter (or even looser) copyright. Most of the tools used
with linux are GNU software and are under the GNU copyleft. These tools
aren’t in the distribution – ask me (or GNU) for more info.
I KNEW this would happen yet again.. “GPL this, GPL that. It’s not free?!!? Why would I pay for a beta??” GET OVER IT!! Please..
“but on the other hand they (skyos team) help other software to fragment even more…is a double moral if you ask me. If there was no GPL software….there would be no SkyOS.”
If there were no GPL software, SkyOS would be just as complete as it is now, with maybe less/different applications available for it. That would have nothing to do with the state of the operating system itself, though.
“SkyOS is almost only running GPL software. Without the software itsuseless besides that i also think the skyos team has learned a lot from other GPL software because they could look into the code, that is not forbidden its even encourargd by the GPL. My statement of SkyOS being not there if GPL software did not exist maybe indeed false but it sure as hell helped a lot.”
There are a number of applications for SkyOS that do not originate from GPL’d apps, but that is beside the point, as I said before. As far as GPL software helping in the creation of SkyOS, I really don’t think so. SkyOS is an operating system, so really the only code that would be of use to Robert in coding SkyOS is the Linux OS code. Robert has only used Linux a few times, and as far as I know, has never bothered to look at the code behind it. So your implication that SkyOS would not exist, either at all, or in it’s current form, is rather faulty.
“Its not forbidden nor did anyone say that. I pointed out to the fact that GPL software has made/helped SkyOS to something it is today. If it was not for GPL software things would have different. I encourage the skyos team the use/port and intergrate gpl software in its os but what i do not understand is that they are so affraid and unwilling to give something back.”
Again, GPL software has little relevance to the state of SkyOS today. As far as not giving anything back, any GPL software that we modified to make available on SkyOS will have it’s code made available. Past that, we are not required to make any of the SkyOS source code available, and choose not to. People that choose to release their software under the GPL are fully welcome to do that. We choose not to. We don’t criticize people that place their code under the GPL for that choice, please have the same respect for our choice. For what it’s worth, we have never had a complaint from any of the authors whose applications we have made available for SkyOS. Every time this debate comes up, it is stirred by someone whom we have never had any contact with before, and whose applications we have never used (if they have ever made any to begin with). Please stop trying to fight battles for these developers, who do not have a problem to begin with.
“I also think it would make much more sense if SkyOS was freely available (does not have to be open-source or gpl) so it (sic) can compete to the freely available Linux and BSD.”
As we have said a number of times in the past, when SkyOS 5.0 Final is released, we will make a “LiveCD” edition available for free download, so that users may test SkyOS first before deciding to pay money for it.
If there were no GPL software, SkyOS would be just as complete as it is now, with maybe less/different applications available for it. That would have nothing to do with the state of the operating system itself, though.
—–
end users care about applications. that includes such stuff like gaim, abiword etc. GPL’ed stuff has tremendously helped that because the source is available for you to port it to the operating system of choice. Keep the OS proprietary if you want to but give credit where its due
If there were no GPL software, SkyOS would be just as complete as it is now.
Are you saying SkyOS isn’t compiled with GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)?
Among the worst spent money in my life.
Beta after beta it is buggy as hell. Md5sums never match. Downloads are a farce. Hardly anything ever works. Not worth wasting your time even if it were free.
I don’t see a chance in a billion of SkyOS ever gaining any relevance.
@ Thom Holwerda, linux is relevant right now. Just wait about six months if you are still sceptical, when all the new technology that has come out in 2004 settles down. Or wait for Linspire 5.