Last updated 9 Jan 2000
These HTML pages can be downloaded from SET.GMD.DE (/pub/misc/XFree86OS2/html) by FTP.
XFree86/OS2-3.3.6 NOW RELEASED
If you have found bugs, immediately look at the BUG LIST
directly, whether this problem is already known and if there is a fix or workaround. This list is possibly updated hourly.
What's new?
- Thousands of bugfixes, including 3.3.5 BIOS bug
What is it?
This project was my personal idea quite some time ago: to port
XFree86, the
free and optimized X11R6 implementation to OS/2. This is of course a quite
ambitious enterprise, so this would be a long-term project for me.
For the unknowleged person: this is not just yet another program, it is an
entire window management environment, that usually runs in Unix environments;
we are talking about 100MB of source code, much of which highly hardware dependent,
e.g. the X Servers which access the video hardware of the PC directly.
What is the status?
XFree86/OS2 is now available as a public version 3.3.6, which does not expire
and for which full source code is available. See the release notes for
details.
List of archives
By default, the URL points to the version 3.3.6, unless otherwise stated.
You may also have a look at the general list of XFree86 mirror sites, however, some of these archives might not
have XFree86/OS2 in particular.
North America:
Europe:
Asia/Australia:
Please send a mail to me with a complete URL if you have set up a ftp
server or a mirror for XFree86/OS2. Please also report any changes or mistakes
in the above URLs.
See the following links for more information.
These files may be more up-to-date than the files in the distribution.
Currently, due to recently found bugs or other deficiencies, the distribution
does not contain the following parts. They should be available in a later
release (don't worry, you don't need them):
- xdm, the X display manager
Changes from previous versions
XFree86-3.3.6 is a public release which contains again numerous fixes
and improvements over 3.3.3.1, including new support for hardware boards.
See the official XFree86 documentation
for more details on what other hardware is also supported.
XFree86/OS2-3.3.6 is supposed to fix the severe BIOS bug present in all 3.3.5
servers.
How can I help?
Test it, and report positive and negative experiences. Report bugs
to the locations mentioned in the accompanying documentation. Please ensure
first from the up-to-date buglist, all README
files and available X documentation that you have infact found a bug.
Since this version comes with source, you might consider recompiling the
code yourself (consult the file OS2.Notes in the docs) and fix bugs and
improve certain parts. Before you start reinventing wheels or make
in your opinion interesting improvements that might turn out making the
system incompatible, please contact me before doing so. I'll still be available
as the mediator between XFree86/OS2 and general XFree86.
You can help by porting X software, whatever kind (editors, tools, games, demos),
to XFree86/OS2. Please read Q 4.16 of the FAQ and
the porting list for guidelines. If you are the
first to port certain software, you will be mentioned on the list!
Which are the available information channels?
There is a mailing list for XFree86/OS2,
with full text search of the mailinglist archive.
I will be present in the following newsgroups (provided our news server is not
down):
- comp.os.os2.programmer.porting (issues of porting software for XFree86)
- comp.os.os2.programmer.misc (other XFree86 related issues)
- comp.os.os2.setup.misc (problems with setting up XFree86/OS2)
Please avoid cross-posting; we won't work faster if we see the same message
multiple times. Note: the newsgroups comp.os.os2.networking.* or
comp.windows.x.* are inappropriate; I won't react to postings there.
I won't be present in the German usenet; read the background story (german text only).
What are the resource requirements?
- Hardware:
- 486, Pentium or PPro system with at least 16 MB main memory
- 30-50 MB HPFS partition for binaries, to recompile from scratch, expect
300MB overall. The system requires HPFS or other filesystems which
support long filenames.
- Software:
- OS/2 Warp 3/Connect with at least FP5, OS/2 Warp 4 with or without FP1.
FP26 causes problems with Warp 3 and is not recommended.
- For network connectivity, you need IBM TCP/IP 2.0 or later, Warp Connect,
Warp Server, Warp 4, Aurora. There are also reports that FreeTCP works as well.
- EMX/gcc 0.9C fix 4 or later
Misc
The above XFree86/OS2 logo is also available in high quality
Color Postscript, e.g. for printing on T-shirts,
or posters. It may be freely used. Don't ask ME whether I sell T-shirts;
get a printout from the file and ask in a reasonable copy shop.
This page was accessed 
times since June 4, 1997 (8747 times since Nov 1, 97, 2657 times since Sep 1, 1996, 6648 times since May 23, 1996, 10683 times since Jan 22, 1996)
Reply to: Holger.Veit@gmd.de
