On Sat, Nov 16, 2024 at 12:55 PM perditionc--- via Freedos-devel <freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net> wrote: > [..] > > kernel.sys, new release way overdue and ever imminent. What do you > need from me once it's released to update rbe? I.e. how best to update > gitlab for inclusion in next test build? >
I would love to experiment with an updated kernel! Especially one that runs WfW -- even though I'm not a Win3x fan. And I know a FreeDOS kernel that now supports WfW would be a huge bonus for a lot of retrocomputing fans!! But I am concerned that a new kernel will need a lot of testing. But that's sort of a "chicken & egg" problem: people need to test it before we should make it the new default kernel .. yet few people will probably test it unless it's available in the new distribution. How about we include the new kernel in some sort of optional "kernel test" package (on the Bonus CD image) so that the default kernel is the known, tested one .. but other people (like us!) can still try it out. The easiest way to try out a test kernel like this is to SYS a floppy disk (or floppy disk image) and boot for that to test it. That should be easy to document for the FreeDOS 1.4 distribution. I said something similar on Oct 27 when I started the "Moving towards FreeDOS 1.4" thread: [..] :: ** What I think is not "on the table": :: :: (x) updated kernel - any new version will need a lot of testing. Once :: there's a new kernel available for testing, and we've tested it, we :: can plan "FreeDOS 2.0" at that time. [..] But I think including a "kernel test" package is a good middle ground. And I think we've done something like that (include a "test" package of something) in a previous distribution, too. After folks have had an opportunity to test it, when we're comfortable that the new kernel is stable, we can use that in a "FreeDOS 2.0" distribution. *There's no "rule" that we need to wait 2 more years for "2.0" .. if we feel comfortable with the new kernel in early 2025, we can make a "FreeDOS 2.0" distribution then. It takes a few months of iteration on the monthly test releases anyway. My guess is if FreeDOS 1.4 comes out in January or February .. and we decide in April that the new kernel is solid .. iterating through a few monthly test release cycles to get to the next distribution means "2.0" would be released in July or August or September anyway. That's a 6-month turnaround, not too different from Linux distributions. :-) > format.exe, new release with latest translations hopefully released this > weekend, I should have some time again today after work. Are there > any new translations that weren't emailed to me or posted to github? A new FORMAT would be good, too! Did this get released since your email on Nov 16? I've been away from email for a while [it's been a busy couple of months on my end] so I don't think I've seen an announcement. > Freecom could probably use a new release before 1.4. Haven't looked > at it in a while, so not sure where it stands. I think an updated FreeCOM is probably in the same boat as an updated kernel. If we could put this into a "freecom test" package so it's installed and available only for people who want to test it (and know they are testing it) that would be easier. Fortunately, it's even easier for someone to try out a new FreeCOM, since that's just a matter of updating a SHELL= line in FDCONFIG.SYS. Again, that's pretty easy to document for the FreeDOS 1.4 release. > > I'd like to make a new release of tree, but that may just be wishful > thinking. A new TREE would also be welcome. If you have a release, share it here and I'll mirror it to our FreeDOS Files Archive at Ibiblio, and make a news item on the website for it. Jim _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list Freedos-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
