“SkyOS 5.0 Beta 7 has been released for beta testers. The biggest changes in beta 7 are of course the addition of multi-user support and BASH, but many, many small and large bugs have also been fixed as well.” Read other news at SkyOS homepage.
SkyOS 5.0 Beta 7 Released
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
I just downloaded/ran beta7 this morniing, and damn, it’s fast
Robert told us afterwards he had been doing some serious optimizing, and that mor eis to come. Really great work!
The new look as desgined by Exitium (or however you spell it
) is also great!
I think that many pay for SkyOS for the same reasons as BeOS. Namely, that it offers the possibility of running a totally fresh OS unburdened by the legacy code contained within other operating systems, and thus offers the possibility of making exisiting computer hardware as fast and stable as possible.
Have a huge desire to troll here…… must resist…….. but they made it sooooooo easy……
Seriously though, why does anybody do anything like that, what made you first try out Linux? For a long time Linux was an “uncomplete and feature less OS in BETA” but you tried, liked the expierence, and stuck with it. If someone wants to pay money to do the same thing is it really that big of a problem, or hard to understand.
What we really need is a benchmark for the speed !
Well forget about glxgears 😀 😀
peace
http://www2.skyos.org/getcd.php
SkyOS 5.0 final pre-order 30$
– SkyOS 5.0-final as installable and bootable LIVE ISO CDROM (shipped when available)
– Printed DVD Cover and printed label on CDROM. Shipped in a stable DVD cover.
– Newest copy of SkyOS programmers book (PDF)
– All available software packages for SkyOS 5
– All available libraries and device drivers
– All older SkyOS versions as .ZIP file
– Videos of SkyOS 5.0 in action
“Videos of SkyOS 5.0 in action” ……… Wow i can see a preview about how my OS will run before installing it ….this is sssooooo amazing ! I want it ! ……
If that was how this site worked you also would never hear about the work on Windows service pack 2, or any time Apple seeds a new build of osx to developers. Beleive it or not, Some people like reading about things that are going on even if they can’t play with it hands on, yet.
Here we go again….
Because things in life are not allways free. Even if it’s BETA, YOU GET THE FINAL 5.0 WHEN DONE! It’s included in the low 30$ that Robert ask. Hey, he needs to eat like you do.
I remember giving Microsoft some money to get Windows 95 Preview Edition before it came out. I remeber paying for BeOS only because it had good reviews, never tried it before.
It’s not a crime to give someone money. And if you don’t like the idea, just don’t buy it and stop trolling.
You are tiresome. All of you. Why post on a topic just to complain. Quit whining! IF YOU DONT WANT TO PAY FOR IT THEN DONT! If you prefer FreeBSD, then write an article about it, add some documentation, send in a bug report. Do something else. You act like little school girls. Sorry but it’s getting old. Post on the subjects you know something about. Quit spreading FUD. Pink Socks.
-adam
Why don’t you just skip the news item instead of reading it and bitching about it if you’re not interested in it at all?
Just because an OS isn’t free and you can’t download it doesn’t make it vaporware, does it? (Since in that case OS X should be at least as much vaporware to me)
It seems to me that there are many more news entries about other operating systems that are far less exciting (IMVHO) and make less progress. And after all, this website is all about (alternative) operating systems.
I didn’t know you had to pay for SkyOS, I thought it was a closed source free operating system.
Well anyway now thats paid for what its market? Who will use SkyOS?
Good god, why do people feel a need to come on a site and post opinions on why people should NOT buy something? You have nothing better to do than to try to persuade people to spend their money the way you spend yours? Get off the computer for an hour a day and live a little…if you don’t want to buy it, don’t – and leave other people alone. They don’t care what you think.
there was a promise this hasnt changed, but it isnt going to be available until SkyOS 5.0-Final is released. in the end if you use skyOS or dont use skyOS is up to you
I think its a very nice project and i admire Robert for
cracking out so much code. I am not sure about the quality of the code and i am wondering, can BETA subscribers get the source code of your SkyOS? How do you test your code for security matters?
ps. the contradiction from the website:
See the light. Break Free.
But first pay us $30
forgot to ask:
Do you and if yes how much code from “other” OS’s do you use?
“See the light. Break Free.” as in break free from windows not saying windows is bad but there are users hu are fed up of windows but find linux too daunting.
” can BETA subscribers get the source code of your SkyOS?”
the os is closed source so why shud u receive the Os code?
“Do you and if yes how much code from “other” OS’s do you use?”
all code is roberts apart from ported applications which come from OSS from the win32 and *nix platforms, i beleive there is a slight bit of BSD code but the BSD licence means thay dont hav to open source the Os.
so the other 5% dont matter, what about ppl hu dont want all the Fedora Core 2 reviews? theres probably about 60% of ppl dont wanna read them, so shud the other 40% be discriminated against? you dont have to read an article when you see it posted, when i see a fedora core 2 article i generally ignore it as i’ve read about 4 in the past week
>the os is closed source so why shud u receive the Os code?
Do you still ask? in the real world it helps a lot if things
are open, the people can look at the more errors, bugs etc will be discoverd. Its helps growing the OS i think.
Besides that i am also very curious if SkyOS does not include
some GPL code.
How about it security model? Is it secure? Does it use tcp/ip stack from BSD? is its multiusercode trusted and proven?
Is there anyway i can get more info about the code and its model without having to become a developer?
open sourcing not always but sometimes leads to forks of the original, linux is an example no standardisation, i love my SuSE box i wudnt change it but RPM’s for SuSE arent compatible with RH9 or Fedora core 1 or 2, and vice-versa theres no standard even the kernels from distro to distro are different as developers apply different kernel patches.
SkyOS is closed source. There is no GPL code inside the system. Accpet it. Deal with it.
Open source might help us to find bugs, but it would also splinter the SkyOS community. We don’t want different SkyOS distributions.
>i love my SuSE box i wudnt change it but RPM’s for SuSE arent
> compatible with RH9 or Fedora core 1 or 2, and vice-versa
>theres no standard even the kernels from distro to distro are
>different as developers apply different kernel patches.
So? does SkyOS help to solve that problem than? Windows XP programs often do not work on 2000 and 98 and visa versa.
Same for Mac its called evolution and has nothing to do with open-source.
Still asking.
Besides that i am also very curious if SkyOS does not include some GPL code.
How about it security model? Is it secure? Does it use tcp/ip stack from BSD? is its multiusercode trusted and proven?
Is there anyway i can get more info about the code and its model without having to become a developer?
What if I pay $30.00 for an OS, I haven’t even had a chance to try, and I end up hating the end result. Does Robert refund? Also, why the hell does his website STILL say 5.0 live cd coming soon? It’s been at least 6 months and it still isn’t available. Sounds to me like he needs to spend a little more time updating his website.
im not a dev, im a gfx designer and long time skyOS follower so i cant, answer your Q.
“So? does SkyOS help to solve that problem than? Windows XP programs often do not work on 2000 and 98 and visa versa.
Same for Mac its called evolution and has nothing to do with open-source. ”
it does SuSE i use is 8.2 it has kernel ver 2.6.1 my friend has a FC1 box with kernel ver 2.6.1 yet both are different y? because of the kernel patches each developer group puts on them. when theres one group / person controling what goes into the OS a standard appears, which linux lacks, and i have software from win95 that still works fine with XP, legacy code is supported by winXP and if it isnt supported as is, compatibility mode increases legacy support.
Why do people keep thinking that there just has to be GPL’d code in skyOS? and stop whining about the price. Robert has to eat like most humans you know
And if you don’t like it, then guess what! You don’t have to buy it! WOW! Isn’t that amazing?
Amen to that
.
“Besides that i am also very curious if SkyOS does not include some GPL code.”
And SCO is very curious to see if Linux does include some proprietary code from their IP. I think they have more of a right to be concerned than you do. Come back with some hard evidence that Robert and SkyOS uses illegally gained code, not just your suspicions. Till then stop posting libelous comments.
Why is it that people questioning SkyOS get flamed? It’s a product like any other product. If I am going to purchase something, I would like to have certain questions answered first. If people get all jumpy about me asking these questions, than I have no interest in buying this product.
Does it contain Open Source code is a perfectly reasonable question.
“SkyOS is closed source. There is no GPL code inside the system. Accpet it. Deal with it.”
Not using GPL code doesn’t mean SkyOS doesn’t contain any open source code. BSD is open source, but it’s not GPL’ed. Really, if this is the answer a person gets when they ask a reasonable question, what’s the incentive to ask more questions that will lead to a possible purchase?
Simply put, a response like the one above reminds me of the fanboy Linux user responses that don’t answer the question, and in the end, is insulting.
That being said, I am rather intrigued by SkyOS. I don’t like the interface (last I looked, the bar at the top constantly moves around as you open and closes things, meaning your menu is never in the same place), but it still looks rather neat.
What’s development like for the system? What I mean is, what language bindings exist for writing apps? C/C++? Python maybe?
Does it contain any open source code? (It’s okay if it does. BSD is a very open license, and frankly, contains good code.)
Is their a developer site that I can look at for more information?
Why do people keep thinking that there just has to be GPL’d code in skyOS?
They’re jealous.
They see Robert doing something in a year that took Desktop Linux almost a decade.
>it does SuSE i use is 8.2 it has kernel ver 2.6.1 my friend
>has a FC1 box with kernel ver 2.6.1 yet both are different y?
>because of the kernel patches each developer group puts on
>them.
Kernel can differ but that is mot often the problem with comp. between rpms it has more to do wich libs and version of software that are installed.
>software from win95 that still works fine with XP, legacy
>code is supported by winXP
Sure there is always 1 program that one could find..in general i was speaking in general.
So what you are also saying is that software made for SkyOS 5 (2004) could run on SkyOS 15 (2010) without any problem?
Cool!
Does it contain Open Source code is a perfectly reasonable question.
“SkyOS is closed source. There is no GPL code inside the system. Accpet it. Deal with it.”
Not using GPL code doesn’t mean SkyOS doesn’t contain any open source code. BSD is open source, but it’s not GPL’ed. Really, if this is the answer a person gets when they ask a reasonable question, what’s the incentive to ask more questions that will lead to a possible purchase?
It’s not the question that irritates me. It’s the fact that this question has been asked a million times before, has been answered a million times before. There is a faq in the SkyOS.org forum which tackles the issue.
I get that question probably a million times per motnh or so. And when I reply: “No, there isn’t any GPL code in the system.”, they simply don’t believe me. That’s what irritates me.
Who the hell can be jealous of an OS they haven’t even tried, for most of the people looking at the site most likely watch the videos, decide it looks like shit, shrug, and walk away. What should anyone be jealous of?
im sorry to hear that you think alot of us answer questions with sharp often instulting responses i hope i can offer some help, in terms of open source software i beleive there are small amounts of BSD licenced code but there is no LGPL or GPL, the FSF is aware of skyOS and any hint that there was GPL / LGPL code they would have already taken action.
>They’re jealous.
>They see Robert doing something in a year that took Desktop
>Linux almost a decade.
Stop replying like a fool and try actually answer a question.
If that is to hard for you or your not in the postition to do or do not have the answer, be quiet and let other answer.
“So what you are also saying is that software made for SkyOS 5 (2004) could run on SkyOS 15 (2010)”
im not saying that as i cant see into the future i was just saying there is always legacy support for alot of applications produced for older releases.
Ok. Thanks for answering some of my questions in a normal way.
I hope the SkyOS get everything its developers hope for and i am sure if Robert for some reason stop development for SkyOS the LInux community would recieve him with open arms
Keep up the good work Robert and don’t give in to the trolls around here. The flaming community is a minority. An average user won’t even care whether SkyOS is open source or closed source, it’s mostly the GPL trolls that complain. Closed source is good for standards.
>Yeah, who would pay for an OS you can’t even download and TRY first? Where the hell is the 5.0 live iso that has been promised now for over 6 months. This is just plain agrevating. I’ll stick with FreeBSD.
That’s funny
=> Do you think every MacOSX or Windows owner tried his OS before paying (*a lot more* than you’ll pay for SkyOS) for it ?
Regards,
Leo.
I was very disappointed when the first screenshots came out of SkyOS with the new GUI. The mockups were very tasty, but the current GUI is just klunky.
Another beta that just won’t install for me without using vmware. At times I think about asking for my $30 back… But I always decide to stick it out and wait, hoping that Robert finally gets it right one of these times.
Adam
“Closed source is good for standards.”
Yeah, Windows and Internet Explorer are very good examples… 🙂
Yes, GPL is viral but it has a good reason: do not permit steal code and close it.
I will not pay for a closed OS. If BeOS was free (as freedom) software (even if it was paid) it would be alive and with an expressive market share.
If a commercial linux distribution can receive money from software licenses why SkyOS must be closed ?
SkyOS will be another BeOS with respect to its end, sorry. There are no space for another closed operationg systems nowadays. If linux has difficult to deal with M$ monopholy, why believe that SkyOS will not be another geek toy ?
I will do my best to answer some of the questions that I have seen posted. The reason that some of these people get upset answering your questions is because some of them, literally, answer that question 2-3 times per day. Some of the ones (like “When will it be released?”) are not so bad, but others (like “I think you’ve stolen GPL code, have you?”) are annoying and baseless. Anyhow, here is my attempt to answer some of the questions I have seen.
“Where the hell is the 5.0 live iso that has been promised now for over 6 months.”
We have not promised that a LiveCD would be made available on a given date. We have simply said that this is the “test” version that will be available when SkyOS 5.0 Final is released.
I’m 100% that SkyOS containe more bug that any Windows[2000-Longhorny]”
All software contains bugs, and like all other developers, we work to get them out.
“Well anyway now thats paid for what its market? Who will use SkyOS?”
We hope initially to provide a stable, fast, and most of all, easy to use system for people looking to do everyday tasks such as Internet browsing, chat, e-mail, word processing, listening to music, watching video, and playing simple games, but that are looking for something other than Windows (for whatever reason; cost, stability, performance, looks, etc.). By SkyOS 5.0, we will have accomplished this.
In the future, we hope to expand to other horizons, such as media development, advanced 3D games, and other popular tasks. A lot of this rides on support from hardware companies like ATI and nVidia, as well as 3rd party software developers. Now is a great time for software developers who always wanted to make an application that would get used by a large audience, but couldn’t hope to crack the monopoly that some companies have in Windows (Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft (Office), etc.).
“can BETA subscribers get the source code of your SkyOS?”
SkyOS is closed source. For developers of applications, we do make some exceptions.
“Do you and if yes how much code from “other” OS’s do you use?”
Very, very little, and it is all for things outside of the kernel, such as Grub. The largest code source I believe we have borrowed from is the OpenBFS file system code from OpenBeOS, and we’re always grateful to them for that. SkyFS has turned into a great file system, mostly because of the great work they did.
We have of course ported a number of applications, and made them available to use in SkyOS. This is outside of the OS of course.
“I don’t like the interface (last I looked, the bar at the top constantly moves around as you open and closes things, meaning your menu is never in the same place)…”
You have to remember, this is the interface that was chosen by a majority vote where almost 10,000 votes were cast. We wanted to give the community a chance to tell us how they wanted us, rather than us simply telling them how it was going to be.
I was wary of this design at first, as it doesn’t fit perfectly with all of the rules in Fitts’ Law, but honestly, it really is quite easy to use. I don’t think I can recall any beta testers complaining about the design (at least to me).
Hopefully that answered some questions.
How did you reach that conclusion? I don’t understand what you mean.
the os is closed source so why shud u receive the Os code?
Do you still ask? in the real world it helps a lot if things
are open, the people can look at the more errors, bugs etc will be discoverd. Its helps growing the OS i think.
The many eyes theory is a myth. The Linux kernel, in all its Open Source glory, is only really looked at by kernel developers. Even then they only look at the sections they are working on. There is simply too much code for the many eyes theory to work without some sort of planning. Sure the scheduler might get looked at by a few hundred people who are curious, but I doubt the ELF loader gets the same attention.
Opening the source is NOT a shortcut to finding bugs. In fact thanks to the shortage of decent Beta testers (Yes, it requires more than just running the code and reporting “it doesn’t work”) I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually slows production down by chasing irrelevant/non-existent bugs.
“The many eyes theory is a myth. ”
wrong
“Opening the source is NOT a shortcut to finding bugs”
right
SkyOS is still looking nice, but its starting to cool off a bit. Although, it is good to wonder what will happen when SkyOS 5.0 is released – I wonder how the reaction will be!
“How did you reach that conclusion? I don’t understand what you mean.”
Typically the user interfaces in Linux are a mish-mosh of insanity due to the two major GUI kits being radically different in appearance – they each breed their own style of human/machine interfaces, which can make things seriously disjointed when you run a Qt application next to a GTK+ application. Unfortunately, there has yet to be developed a “core” GUI library that would invoke the proper user interface (Qt or GTK+, ‘pending on desktop enviroment) at the time. But the time will come. Sooner or later, someone will just get tired of it.
“wrong”
Wrong.
I’m getting real tired of the “Why pay blah blah blah-” posts. I want to stay one step ahead of the OS game. I LIKE using alternative OSes, that’s why I friggin read OSNews. SkyOS just happens to be the most complete alternative OS out ther (linux doesn’t count).
Now don’t get me wrong, I love linux. That’s why I’m president of the LUG at UMBC (about fifty members strong, good for a university LUG). But I don’t think Linux’s place is on the desktop. It’s ideal for servers. You have different hardware for different purposes, just as you have different OSes for different purposes. And if you don’t want to pay a simple fee, that doesn’t mean other people are idiots if they do.
There is too much noise here and people are very biased. open source can be leveraged very effectively. many eyes theory is not a myth at all. it has very real differences depending on the project however it cannot and should be used as a shortcut for finding out bugs. the responsibility is with the developers.
i dont understand the need to bash linux here
I don’t think anyone was bashing Linux. What needs to be understood is that open source works well in some situations, and not as well in others. It doesn’t mean that open source should only be used, it doesn’t mean that closed source should only be used. In the end, the best solution is that the developer chooses which model feels most beneficial to their project.
I have a few questions about SkyOS.
1. Is the DotGNU port finished?
2. Does it currently have a CIL binding for the SkyOS GUI? If not, are there plans to implement such a thing?
3. Does it support USB?
4. If So, does it support USB Modems(ACM Standard, I believe is what it’s called).
Thanks
Maybe SkyOS could put out a final beta that is a time trial or with some reduced functionality. Maybe that is what the _eventual_ live cd is for. I don’t have a problem with closed-source and as Kelly said closed-source has its advantages, but at the same time messing around with paypal for a beta os that you can’t try out first is stretching it.
The main problem i have with SKyOS is that its closed source
but its using GPL and Open-Source code/programs to boost itself. I find that very strange…
Before i get flammed with nosense replies.
What i mean is they use other peoples code/programs put/port that to SkyOS. So there putting in programs and code that where made by people with complete divotion and then say he we made a great OS and it can do this and that, wich is mostly based on the apps you use on the OS wich where made by other people, but you cannot have our code! worse they let you pay for it.
Strange..
I’m not too up on Solaris but doesn’t Solaris support GNOME and other GPLed programs(I believe GNOME is GPL/LGPLED atleast). Solaris isn’t OpenSource. I don’t see what’s wrong with a Closed Source operating system bragging about apps it can run that happen to be open source apps.
Thank you! I find your insightful (inCITEfull?) comments so very enlightening. I rarely get access to communication from your dimensional plane.
Unfortunately, our dimension has not yet evolved such an advanced society where we are able to waste our time and others so freely. Maybe I will get to visit one someday. Most of us here still have to spend the majority of our time earning a living and providing for our families needs.
Hmm, interesting! At $30 a copy, by the time costs are covered, and of course taking into account the number of manhours invested (looks to be quite a few by Robert), I wonder what the hourly wage figures out to in the local economy?
I LIKE using alternative OSes, that’s why I friggin read OSNews. SkyOS just happens to be the most complete alternative OS out ther (linux doesn’t count).
Not tried Syllable then? http://www.syllable.org
Sun is giving a lot back to the GNOME community.
Besides that is not any better if Sun or others do the same thing..it still stinks.
Bragging about an OS and it possibilities, saying things like freedom and i quote: “SkyOS is a free operating system written from scratch for x86 PC’s” Free? nonsense its misleading, including apps that could only be included because of their open nature and than sell the whole thing and say things like “we would not like to see SkyOS get fragmented” right but its ok to fragment other people software?? i really do not get it..
Remember i have nothing against selling software and commercial software but trying to eat from both sites for your own benefits is wrong. period. That how i think about .
Well, you could’ve put it a little bit more diplomatic, but, amen, you hit the nailon the head.
I will be a little calmer with my post then.
I apologise. I went back and read only your posts, you started of with valid questions, then deteriorated a little, then good questions again.
Is it unfathomable that one person coded the SkyOS, SkyGI, Sky GI API, etc. “No I don’t believe it, there must be GPLed code” “Why because it exists”
You obviously didn’t say those words, but that is how it ultimately comes across.
Just because the GNU/Hurd isn’t finished yet does not mean someone with an overactive hobby couldn’t get close to finishing his goal.
Remember some people watch TV, some people code, some do both at the same time.
My advise, when you have time try and expand a little on this.
http://www2.skyos.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=18434
So then you and Kelly, etc.
Could cut and paste a URL to answer questions.
Of course you guys don’t have to answer to no one, it’s your right.
>I apologise. I went back and read only your posts, you
>started of with valid questions, then deteriorated a little,
>then good questions again.
Brave. I would also like to withdraw my word morron, its to heavy and in no context.
>This has enabled them to have applications, which eventually will be replaced with native versions.
Ok that i accept and understand.
>Remember some people watch TV, some people code, some do
>both at the same time.
It sure is amazing how fast he is coding. That also makes me wonder about the quality of the code and its security model as i stated before. It would be nice if SkyOS got open-source or mabye shared-source its also for the benefit
of the OS and its users.
Thanx for answering in a normal way John. I have nothing against Roberts or you personal please remember that.
It’s okay, group hug. :bigdumbgrin:
Just a rough day and I came here and saw about 61 posts about why it is not open source, etc, the usual stuff.
I simply come to OSNEWS to learn about OS kind of things.
Okay, the FAQ has been updated. Enjoy
http://www2.skyos.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=18434
🙂
:B