With much thanks to Fritz Mueller, we now have an updated set of LSM
files on the www.freedos.org site. For those who don't know, we use
the LSM ("Linux Software Map") file format to describe the software
packages that make up the FreeDOS distribution. You can find the
complete software list at http://www.freedos.org/freedos/software/ -
and you can find a description of the LSM file format at
http://www.freedos.org/freedos/software/lsm.html
Fritz has cleaned up the existing FreeDOS LSM files, and I have done
some additional cleanup and de-duping. In addition, we have created
several new categories of FreeDOS software. The new categories list
is:
Base
The base projects for the FreeDOS Project, the programs that
reproduce the functionality of MS-DOS.
Boot
Various boot managers and boot logos for use with FreeDOS.
Devel
Compilers, assemblers, and development tools that are distributed
with FreeDOS.
Edit
Unofficial editors that are used with FreeDOS.
GUI
Graphical user interfaces for DOS.
Net
Network access, including PPP, browsers, email, etc.
Sound
Various utilities to play and manage sound files.
Util
Utilities and extensions that are associated with FreeDOS.
The new categories are Boot, GUI, and Sound. Yes, I know that GUI only
contains one entry - Fritz also put some DOS navigators in there, but
I'm unsure if it makes sense to put a text-mode navigator under "GUI".
Fritz also had a "Games" category, but I don't know that I want to
start listing games ... I think that would lead to a very big,
games-based distro which would best be managed by someone doing their
own games-based FreeDOS CDROM (and there is one already.) Imagine
every DOS shareware and freeware game that we could include here -
we'll get bloated very quickly just with games. I'm open to
suggestions on either.
My next steps are:
1. Fritz found that some of the LSMs were out of date w.r.t. released
versions. I'll go through the lists, and re-mirror any new versions
that aren't already on ibiblio. This may take a while, so please bear
with me. Fritz marked some of these in the LSMs to be easier to find,
so I'll leave those edits there until I have re-mirrored the software.
2. I'm thinking about creating a "non-free" catch-all category for any
software that limits how the software may be used or redistributed. We
have a few packages that do this. But if FreeDOS is to be useful to
all, it should be usable by all. Limiting distribution to
non-commercial / home users isn't cool if you are a company that needs
to use FreeDOS to do something. Other packages have limitations on how
they may be redistributed - if we have permission to distribute a
package, it is important for our users to have permission to share
that same package. Creating a "non-free" category for any software
that limits its use or redistribution will make it easier on people
who provide FreeDOS CD-ROMs, so no one accidentally includes software
that they shouldn't or would otherwise get in trouble for sharing.
-jh
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