[Scope-dev] Re: [jdistro-devel] Where do we go ?

[Christian H. <chr...@tu...>]

Hi Gerard, Hi Guillaume,

just some answers:

[Gerard]
> You mean the OS comes with a Framework for development ? Again, Java has

Yes. All systems/ applications (like Humans) are equal in that they have
input, memorizing, processing and output functionality. Operating systems
are not different from a small application here. Both can build on the same
framework.

> all this, even if it can (must) be refined by libraries like Scope (I can't
> find it, where is it ?)

http://scope.sourceforge.net/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/scope/

[...]
> quite well with other projects. Maybe it would be interesting working with
> the JOS Projet, but it seems to be dead since end of 2001. That was a

Many people (including me) seemed to think so due to the mixed website,
lack of its update and all the JOS-subprojects. Then I found out that
the list is alive! Mostly, Gilbert is working on the sources as it seems.
For sure, he can give you more insight on the current state.

> project I used to be interested in... For the MVC framework, it's not in
> the aim of JDistro to be a full featured framework, just to run most of
> java applications. If we can provide some simple yet powerfull API to the
[...]

But JDistro itself could base on a framework to:
- avoid writing redundant code
- get a clearer architecture
- unidirectional dependencies (security)
... and still be able to run standard java applications.

> Anyway, comments are welcomed and we would appreciate some compatibility
> checks with any library. I.E. if someone says to us, please make this
> application or framework work in JDistro, I think we will do it. Maybe
> that's the way collaboration can be built upon.

That's great.

[Guillaume]

> > - Are you fixed on Java only or open to replace it wherever it turns
> > out not to be the ideal solution?
>
> I'm fixed on it. Not on the language itself but on the platform. The JVM
> and the java APIs are the fundation of the project. Considering that,
> the language itself can be changed, using jython, jruby, smalleiffel, ...

That is good. Recent mails in the JOS list were about design faults in
the JVM and JDK and suggested a better architecture. (For details,
ask there. I'm not into it.)
If JOS provided a JVM with different design that were still able to run
standard Java applications -- couldn't JDistro use it then?

> > - Knoppix is a good idea; I think JOS was thinking about the same?
>
> Yes. If someone is interrested, it would be great to build a knoppix
> with a JRE, JDistro and a set of apps.

Just today, the http://www.gnumed.org /.net project announced the
availability of a Knoppix-based CD with GNUmed on it:
http://www.openmed.org/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=64
The ISO image under:
http://marvin.ba-loerrach.de/gnumed.iso

It took them several months to accomplish this and I guess we could
learn a lot from them. See also the "Knoppix-Remastering how2":
http://www.linuxtag.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=knoppix-en;action=display;num=1029373150

I am sure you could ask <seb...@gm...> or <ti...@de...>
for help.

> > - The "virtual File System" is truely a duplication effort since JOS
> > as potential operating system has developed one, too.
>
> Any link about it ? When I searched the web about VFS written in Java, I
> found a few but none was transparent. All require to change your app.
> That's why I started the JDistro one.

Uhh, I'm afraid I might have been "leaning out of the window" too much
here -- means: I don't even know what a "transparent" VFS is.
However, I had seen a package "filesystem" somewhere in the JOS sources.

Best Regards,
Christian