
The BeOS version 5.1d0 seems to have been extensively leaked on the web the last few days (please respect the OSNews policy and
do not post direct download URLs of the illegal beta on our forums). Dianne Hackborn, ex-Be engineer, now at PalmSource, gives
more information on what is included in this version of BeOS. There is hardware OpenGL (
update: GL is 'broken' on Dano), new networking stack, window decors, XML kit, new USB stack, brand new Printing Kit (and lots of printer drivers for it), new font engine, column list view, tooltip support, updated Media Kit, Interface Kit and app_server, and more. And of course, brand new drivers, like support for the Adaptec U160 SCSI controllers, better SB128 support etc. Reportedly, this BeOS version has some issues with many existing BeOS applications, mostly because of the changes in the app_server. The only peculliar thing is that, as far as we know, Palm's legal department did not take any action against the owners of the servers that carry the leaked beta.
[It's not a victimless crime. Do you think anyone would buy YellowTab's BeOS 5.03+ distribution now that they can download this blatantly illegal BeOS
5.1 for free?]
I don't think that R5.1d0 is dangerous for NG because NG is "normal" R5.0.3 with:
*a new Installer (which looks pretty impressive, indeed),
*BeIA-dev-Kit (I don't know how they can publish that when Gobe was not allowed to! And they also "relabeled it to Wagner2 *Wagner was the dev name for BeIA*),
*lot's of BeBits-stuff
*the old partition tool marked as "brand new"
*announced as "developed with OpenBeOS-Team" which not true....AFAIK
That what BeOS_NG looks to me can harm BeOS much more than R5.1d0. R5.1d0 is new technology, NG is "old" in new boxes!
who can spread the sources? I don't know anyone who has them!
LoCal