Quoth Don Bailey <don.bai...@gmail.com>: > Direction comes from people writing code... but you write code for 9front, > yes? What does that have to do with mainline Plan 9? And what does that > have to do with the direction set forth by the people that actually > designed it? >
I'm not sure I understand the point of your question; I work on 9front. There's nothing that qualifies as a mainline Plan 9 since the lights turned off at Bell Labs almost a decade ago; there are just forks like 9legacy and 9front. The people that actually designed it stopped setting direction years before Bell Labs shut down. As a member of the Plan 9 Foundation, I would like to see other people pick up other Plan 9 distributions, and take them in other directions. As far as I can tell, that involves code being written and shared. > > On Thu, Jan 25, 2024 at 7:20 AM <o...@eigenstate.org> wrote: > > > This email suffers from a lack of semicolons; > > > > Bell labs is extremely dead at this point, and > > direction comes from people writing code; once > > the work begins, people are sometimes willing to > > help -- but only once work begins. > > > > Quoth vic.thac...@fastmail.fm: > > > Dear 9fans, as enthusiasts and experts of Plan 9, you are undoubtedly > > aware of the unique position this operating system holds in the world of > > distributed computing. Its influence on modern computing paradigms is > > undeniable. In the spirit of continuing this legacy, the prospect of Plan 9 > > Release 5 beckons, offering a pathway to not just preserve but also enhance > > our beloved system. This essay aims to articulate the rationale for Plan 9 > > Release 5, focusing on the need for modernization, the potential for > > innovation, and the practical considerations that align with our shared > > passions and expertise. > > > > > > The Need for Modernization > > > > > > Technological Evolution: > > > We've all witnessed the dramatic shifts in technology since Plan 9's > > last iteration. To keep Plan 9 at the forefront of utility and innovation, > > it's essential to adapt and update our system in line with the latest > > advancements in hardware, networking, and programming languages. This > > evolution is crucial to ensure that Plan 9 remains an indispensable tool in > > our modern tech toolkit. > > > > > > Security Enhancements: > > > In our ever-connected world, the sophistication of cyber threats is a > > reality we cannot ignore. It is imperative that Plan 9 evolves to include > > cutting-edge security protocols, safeguarding our systems and the unique > > work we do from emerging cyber risks. > > > > > > Hardware Compatibility: > > > The advent of new hardware architectures is an exciting challenge for > > us. Updating Plan 9 to support these new platforms means not only > > preserving its usability but also expanding our horizons to new forms of > > computing, something we, as 9fans, have always embraced. > > > > > > Fostering Innovation > > > > > > Research and Education: > > > Plan 9’s novel approach to system design and distributed computing has > > always been a beacon for academic research and education. A new release > > would re-energize our academic endeavors, offering a modern platform for > > continued exploration and learning, pushing the boundaries of what we can > > achieve with Plan 9. > > > > > > Community Engagement: > > > A new version of Plan 9 stands to reinvigorate our community. This is an > > opportunity to deepen our engagement, attract new talent, and foster a > > richer ecosystem around our shared passion. The development of Plan 9 > > Release 5 could be a rallying point for our community, sparking new > > collaborations and innovations. > > > > > > Showcasing Plan 9’s Potential: > > > Plan 9 Release 5 would be a powerful statement of our system's > > capabilities, especially in burgeoning fields like cloud computing, IoT, > > and distributed systems. This is our chance to demonstrate the adaptability > > and forward-thinking design of Plan 9 to the wider world. > > > > > > Practical Considerations > > > > > > Resource Allocation: > > > We understand the importance of efficient resource management in > > bringing Plan 9 Release 5 to fruition. This means tapping into our > > collective knowledge, drawing on community contributions, and possibly > > exploring new partnerships or funding avenues. > > > > > > Backward Compatibility: > > > Maintaining backward compatibility is essential to honor our past work > > and ensure a smooth transition. We must respect the legacy of Plan 9 while > > charting a course for its future. > > > > > > Documentation and Support: > > > Enhanced documentation and support are crucial for the success of this > > new release. As a community, we can collaborate to create resources that > > will aid in adoption and usability, ensuring Plan 9 Release 5 becomes a > > tool we can all be proud of. > > > > > > Conclusion > > > > > > The creation of Plan 9 Release 5 is more than a technological update; > > it’s a reaffirmation of our commitment to a system that has long been at > > the vanguard of computing innovation. This initiative is a step towards > > ensuring Plan 9's continued relevance, security, and functionality in the > > modern era. It's an opportunity to broaden its impact in the realms of > > research, education, and beyond. As 9fans, we have the passion, the > > knowledge, and the community to make this a reality, honoring the legacy of > > Plan 9 while shaping its future. Let's embark on this journey together, > > shaping the next chapter in the Plan 9 story. > > > > > > > > > Thank you for dedicating your time and attention. > > > --vic > > > > > > On Thu, Jan 25, 2024, at 05:48, Jacob Moody wrote: > > > > On 1/24/24 14:28, Michael Grunditz wrote: > > > >> I have looked at the reform code and I like how it is done. I think > > that it would be easy to use for porting 9legacy or in fact any system. But > > it is more work than a recompile. > > > >> > > > >> Michael > > > > > > > > It is certainly not drag and drop. Getting the arm64 compiler and > > > > linker working on > > > > 9legacy is already not what I would consider trivial due to drift in > > > > /sys/src/cmd/cc. > > > > So yes if you have enough understanding on how to work with and debug > > > > the compiler, the linker, and > > > > the kernel then perhaps you could call it "easy". I'll believe it when > > > > I see it. > > > > ------------------------------------------ 9fans: 9fans Permalink: https://9fans.topicbox.com/groups/9fans/T42f11e0265bcfa18-M47059d5ebcfa38d70a734a19 Delivery options: https://9fans.topicbox.com/groups/9fans/subscription
