Marc Albrecht
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//Hard- and Software Developer  //  A.C.T. Germany //
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KOSH [Kommunity Orientated Software Hardware]

Weekly Summary

Week Commencing: 6th February 1999

Number: 007

Mailing List: kosh-general

In the mailing list this week, the following items were discussed. Please do not email the scribe
regarding any of these topics, it is not his job to answer these questions, but merely to report
the topics of conversation. If you have any queries about this summary, please email ben@kosh.net,
stating the Summary Number, and Mailing List Name, and he will try to answer your queries.

a)

Subject: Versioning

Summary of Debate: The author's name could be added to source code, with potentially lots of authors
                   marked against source code for an application/blueprint.


b)

Subject: HAVi

Summary of debate: Could KOSH incorporate the concept of HAVi - Home Audio Video interoperability, a
                   new plug and play standard for electronic appliances? The NG Amiga is going to use
                   this. The standard allows many ways to communicate with and control many
                   appliances, which is something that we have talked about in KOSH before.


c)

Subject: Wizards of OS

Summary of debate: http://www.heise.de/tp/english/inhalt/konf/3332/1.html is a site about a
                   conference called "Wizards of OS", dealing with the historic development of OSs


d)

Subject: Book list

Summary of debate: John Chandler has produced a preliminary list of books to be built on.
                   (Scribe's note: not repeated here as the email concerned was 11k in size, and I'm
                   trying to keep these summaries small. See email: Book List (draft), by John
                   Chandler <metaljoe@scnowcrash.u-net.com>, dated: 8th Feb)


e)

Subject: Task migration (continued)

Summary of debate: Peripheral sharing could be built into KOSH to allow any machine on a KOSH-network
                   to easily access any facilities on any of the other machines.


f)

Subject: Installation and application types

Summary of debate: The system could keep a central database of exactly what applications are
                   installed where.

                   If someone is viewing a picture it should go to a viewer. If it is being
                   edited it should go to a Paint program. The same is true of text that has
                   been created: HTML to either an editor or a browser as desired. As a result
                   perhaps a "finished" tag should be included in the information of a file so that
                   it goes to the correct application.

                   However a 'finished' flag may not be the answer as projects are rarely "finished"
                   and often need further editing. Perhaps left-click on a file to view it as though
                   it were finished and right-click to edit it.

                   It was then pointed out that clicking is only one example of control over files
                   as any control medium could be used (touchscreen, voice, on-button mouse +shift,
                   etc).

                   How about the Windows registry approach if better implemented? The registry would
                   have to be dynamic, intelligent and transparent.

                   Two older documents which are relevant are:
                   http://www.crusaders.no/members/donv/icoa/install-process.html
                   http://www.crusaders.no/Amiga/installer/

                   If a newly installed package requires a more up to date resource then that should
                   be located and handled by KOSH automatically - if this option is allowed by the
                   user.

                   Maybe every application could register all the data formats it can handle and
                   therefore if you access a file you could be presented with a choice of what to
                   load it into.


g)

Subject: Revenue from merchandising

Summary of debate: It was suggested that games for KOSH could be sold cheaply and the
                   majority of revenue made from merchandising around the game.


h)

Subject: Portfolio files

Summary of debate: A 'portfolio file' would be an attributes 'chunk' inside a package container
                   object. A central registry would then hold all references to applications.
                   Therefore when a package is moved elsewhere then the package manager is
                   automatically notified of changes. This information could then be used to keep a
                   track of what is where.


i)

Subject: KOSHan Web Sites

Summary of debate: A list of links from the KOSH url to KOSHan people's web sites could be added.


j)

Subject: ISO 9000
Summary of debate: Suggested that KOSH (presumably KOSHinc?) could get ISO9000 certification for
                   quality management standards if we follow the guidelines for such assessment.
                   But the future of ISO9000/9002 may be in doubt, and there may not be a clear
                   advantage for being so certified.


k)

Subject: Accessible programming

Summary of debate: If we made sure that KOSH came with a built-in not-too-complex programming
                   language that people could just dive into and learn to code with ease (such
                   as BBC Basic on the 8-bits). This could lead to a resurgence in the number of
                   "bedroom programmers" that once were commonplace and graced the world with their
                   existence.


l)

Subject: QNX literature

Summary of debate: Literature on QNX systems can be found at:
                   http://www.qnx.com/literature/index.html


m)

Subject: Macmillan Computer Publishing updated URL

Summary of debate: The new URL for the above is http://www.pbs.mcp.com


n)

Subject: Asian character sets

Summary of debate: G'o'tz Ohnesorge <gohnesorge@lh-computertechnik.de> would like help on how to
                   include support for Japanese and Chinese character sets as seen in website.


o)

Subject: Unhappiness with DVD URL

Summary of debate: URL for the above at: http://www.techweb.com


p)

Subject: Hosted-KOSH file export/import

Summary of debate: Hosted versions of KOSH should be able to import and export files transparently
                   with the hosted system and the applications there present.


q)

Subject: Linux on one 1.44mb floppy

Summary of debate: Apparently it can be done. Go to http://www.toms.net/rb/ to see how.


r)

Subject: ANDF

Summary of debate: It is suggested that for all machines out there to be potential KOSH boxes
                   with little barriers for entry, some form of ANDF is needed, but ANDF distribution
                   would require a separate code compilation on each platform. Perhaps therefore Slim
                   Binary distribution?


s)

Subject: Idle tasks (continued)

Summary of debate: Why not have a concept similar to WBStartup drawer on AmigaOS wherein programs in
                   the drawer do not run directly after a boot but when there is enough system idle
                   time?