A Web site for NeXTSTEP driver information.
Stefanos Kiakas
About a week ago, I posted the following item to see what the
NS community thinks about it. I have not received any replies, so
either we have all the drivers we need for NeXTSTEP, all the information
is redily available, the post did not get out, or I have missed
the raging discussion that has(is) taken place.
I'm posting the item again, to waste some bandwidth. :)
There are many hardware options available for Intel machines, but
we cannot use them with NS, because either NeXT does not supply the dirvers,
or the manufacturer of the hardware does not think the NeXTSTEP market is
big enough to make it worth their while.
For example, I would love to have the same functionality for a ZIP
drive that is available for Windows (password protecting the files on the
drive, etc). I could think of other hardware as well which have no drivers
for NeXTSTEP.
I want to propose we create a Web site to provide the documentation,
examples, and other material required to create drivers. Now I'm
wondering what the rest of the community thinks about this idea? I am
prepared to offer the use of our Web server for this purpose, but I am
unable to develop this information on my own, because I do not know enough
about developing drivers for NeXTSTEP. Therefore I would need the support
of the NeXT community.
Further more, the Web site will contain a list of systems ( laptop
systems and others), and peripherals which are known to work with NeXTSTEP.
This will hopefully give us many more options when deciding on systems,
without having to worry whether NS will run on the hardware or not.
I look forward to your comments and ideas, even if you think this
is a bad idea.
Sincerely,
Stefanos Kiakas
e-Scape Information Systems Inc.
stef...@uniscape.com
Robert J. Fenney
I would like to develope some drivers but I don't know where to get the
information? I know I could call some friends and find out but I would also
like to know what the interest is before I make any investments in time and
resources! So please keep me updated!
Robert
John Kheit
> Further more, the Web site will contain a list of systems
> ( laptop systems and others), and peripherals which are
> known to work with NeXTSTEP. This will hopefully give us
> many more options when deciding on systems, without having
> to worry whether NS will run on the hardware or not.
> I look forward to your comments and ideas, even if you
> think this is a bad idea.
Certainly, anything that increases our hardware options is a good
thing...
--
Thanks, be well, take care, later, John Kheit )^> %^) =^)
monoChrome, Inc. | New York Law School
NEXTSTEP Developer | Opinions expressed represent me only
MIME & NeXTmail OK--PPP | http://cnj.digex.net/~jkheit
mailto:jkh...@cnj.digex.net | Telepathy...It's coming...
Andy Grosso
>
> I want to propose we create a Web site to provide the documentation,
>examples, and other material required to create drivers. Now I'm
>wondering what the rest of the community thinks about this idea? I am
>prepared to offer the use of our Web server for this purpose, but I am
>unable to develop this information on my own, because I do not know enough
>about developing drivers for NeXTSTEP. Therefore I would need the support
>of the NeXT community.
>
What NeXT community ? Unlike Linux (free) or Windows (almost
free), NEXTSTEP is a high-end, boutique operating system, aimed
squarely at the MCCA (read: rich folks) market.
Ain't no community. Ain't gonna be no groundswell of eager
developers, yearning to produce drivers for free. Ain't gonna
be no vast amounts of shared lore and there definitely ain't
gonna be a long-term NEXTSTEP community (cf: either the "NeXT
is doomed" threads or the "NeXT isn't doomed. OpenStep will save
the day" threads).
It's not a bad idea. It's just completely out of touch with
reality.
Cheers,
Andy
--
Cheers,
Andy
Garance A Drosehn
> There are many hardware options available for Intel
> machines, but we cannot use them with NS, because either NeXT
> does not supply the dirvers, or the manufacturer of the hardware
> does not think the NeXTSTEP market is big enough to make it worth
> their while.
> I want to propose we create a Web site to provide the
> documentation, examples, and other material required to create
> drivers. Now I'm wondering what the rest of the community thinks
> about this idea? I am prepared to offer the use of our Web server
> for this purpose, but I am unable to develop this information on
> my own, because I do not know enough about developing drivers
> for NeXTSTEP. Therefore I would need the support of the NeXT
> community.
I think it'd be a great resource to have, but I'm not sure who
would put information into it. Most of the people who do know
all the details of writing drivers are either doing so, or have
given up on doing so.
> Further more, the Web site will contain a list of
> systems (laptop systems and others), and peripherals which are
> known to work with NeXTSTEP. This will hopefully give us many
> more options when deciding on systems, without having to worry
> whether NS will run on the hardware or not.
The "home-brew" mailing list helps out for this, although I'm not
sure how many people follow that mailing list.
Again, it would be a nice resource to have, but it will be a fair
amount of work to keep it up to date!
---
Garance Alistair Drosehn = g...@eclipse.its.rpi.edu
ITS Systems Programmer (handles NeXT-type mail)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Troy NY USA
Jacob Gore
> I want to propose we create a Web site to provide the documentation,
> examples, and other material required to create drivers. Now I'm
> wondering what the rest of the community thinks about this idea?
Um, the idea is fine, but I'm afraid I can't contribute much because I've
never dealt with NEXSTEP drivers before. (I don't even know if anybody who's
not under non-disclosure agreements can contribute.)
> Further more, the Web site will contain a list of systems ( laptop
> systems and others), and peripherals which are known to work with NeXTSTEP.
> This will hopefully give us many more options when deciding on systems,
> without having to worry whether NS will run on the hardware or not.
That is problematic: PC hardware vendors change things at a drop of a hat and
without bothering to tell anybody (after all, they supply the Windows drivers
for the new hardware, and that probably covers 99% of their market).
Information like that will become stale very quickly.
I'm also not sure how this will complement NeXT's own compatibility guide
(available through Web and NeXTanswers).
Jacob
---
Jacob Gore, Eastern NM U. Jacob...@Math.ENMU.Edu | Ja...@ToolCASE.Com
Systemworks, Inc
>From: wil...@pdh.com (Andy Grosso)
>Subject: Re: A Web site for NeXTSTEP driver information.
>Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 04:21:18 GMT
>In article <4fp3qi$7...@vir.com>, Stefanos Kiakas <stef...@Vir.com> wrote:
>>
>> I want to propose we create a Web site to provide the documentation,
>>examples, and other material required to create drivers. Now I'm
>>wondering what the rest of the community thinks about this idea? I am
>>prepared to offer the use of our Web server for this purpose, but I am
>>unable to develop this information on my own, because I do not know enough
>>about developing drivers for NeXTSTEP. Therefore I would need the support
>>of the NeXT community.
>>
>What NeXT community ? Unlike Linux (free) or Windows (almost
>free), NEXTSTEP is a high-end, boutique operating system, aimed
>squarely at the MCCA (read: rich folks) market.
>Ain't no community. Ain't gonna be no groundswell of eager
>developers, yearning to produce drivers for free. Ain't gonna
>be no vast amounts of shared lore and there definitely ain't
>gonna be a long-term NEXTSTEP community (cf: either the "NeXT
>is doomed" threads or the "NeXT isn't doomed. OpenStep will save
>the day" threads).
>It's not a bad idea. It's just completely out of touch with
>reality.
>Cheers,
>Andy
>--
>Cheers,
>Andy
... better look again, while small, there definitely is a NEXTSTEP community.
I guess all those people using and following NeXT for 10 years isn't a
community. Yes, we definitely are alot smaller than the Windoze community,
but the greatest form of flattery is having every other software developer in
the world try to copy your technology!
NeXT and it's OO development environment was around before these other
supposedly OO-type companies were even founded and they are still trying to
call their crap object-oriented. What the heck, Microsloth can't even get two
applications to talk to each other. NeXT recently released their product
called D'OLE (Distributed OLE), which includes technology that Microsloth
could even get working within their own applications and NeXT comes along and
does between non-MS apps!
Yes, the OS is expensive, but take a look at what you get and when you compare
it to other real development environments, not the throw-away cheapo PC stuff,
I mean a workstation-class development environment, I think you will see that
the price isn't that bad.
Maybe once Steve's company has a bit more money they will start giving things
away. They are now with WebObjects. Yes, it's hard to swallow the price when
upgrading, but when you sit down at the keyboard and everything "just works"
it's well worth it.
Cheers,
Bob
-------------------------------------------
Systemworks, Inc.
Custom workstations for NEXTSTEP, NT & 95
sysw...@cais.com 703-450-7429
-------------------------------------------
Hans Steiner
wouldn't have to time to make a web page(well....maybe). In particular,
I will be writing a driver for a joystick(its not for games, I'll go into
it if you ask).
HC
--
(C)Copyright Hans-Christoph Steiner. Permission for use of this material is
freely granted to all except Microsoft. Microsoft can secure distribution
rights for US$1000. Use of this material without permission constitutes an
agreement to these terms. Report violations to me and postm...@microsoft.com
mmalcolm crawford
> What NeXT community ? Unlike Linux (free) or Windows (almost free),
> NEXTSTEP is a high-end, boutique operating system, aimed squarely
> at the MCCA (read: rich folks) market.
>
> Ain't no community.
>
some of the most pleasant and generous on the Net, and as far as I'm
concerned there most certainly is a community.
> Ain't gonna be no vast amounts of shared lore and there definitely
> ain't gonna be a long-term NEXTSTEP community (cf: either the "NeXT
> is doomed" threads or the "NeXT isn't doomed. OpenStep will save
> the day" threads).
>
Every community has its dissenters. If it didn't it'd be boring.
Best wishes,
mmalc.
--
William Grosso
writes:
>In article <DMsus...@pdh.com> wil...@pdh.com (Andy Grosso) writes:
>
>>Ain't no community. Ain't gonna be no groundswell of eager
>>be no vast amounts of shared lore and there definitely ain't
>>gonna be a long-term NEXTSTEP community (cf: either the "NeXT
>>is doomed" threads or the "NeXT isn't doomed. OpenStep will save
>>the day" threads).
>
>
>a NEXTSTEP community. I guess all those people using and following
>NeXT for 10 years isn't a community.
Okay. There is a community. It's a tiny community that's never
going to produce a groundswell of eager developers, yearning to
produce drivers for free. It's never going to have vast bodies
of shared lore and its long-term prospects are decidedly grim.
But, yes Virginia, there is a NEXTSTEP community.
It's not like I'm vying for the Mark-Crispin-of-the-Month
award or anything but what, exactly, was your point ?
Mine was that the web site probably won't amount to much.
Cheers,
Andy
Ken Case
: [...] In particular,
: it if you ask).
I've already written one (for games). It works, although I haven't
polished it up to where I felt like doing a public release. (I want
to write a joystick calibration app, but just haven't had the time...)
Anyway, if you're interested, feel free to contact me for more
information.
Speaking of drivers for games, we've also written a driver for the
Rendition Verite 3D graphics chipset for id Software: they're using it
in developing Quake. (The Verite is the chipset being used in the PCI
version of the 3D Blaster and some of the other 3D boards. It's not
yet in production, to my knowledge.) It's still very much in alpha,
but it's pretty neat to be able to take Rendition's DOS demos, recompile
them in NEXTSTEP, and have them just work (well, other than that the
demos expect to read the keyboard and mouse in DOS ways).
Cheers,
Ken
Hans Steiner
>polished it up to where I felt like doing a public release. (I want
>to write a joystick calibration app, but just haven't had the time...)
Yes, I would love to have your joystick driver. This is a driver for
plain old analog joysticks, right? Not the fancy new Microsoft ones. I
was thinking of trying to write a driver for the Microsoft joysticks
because I want the extra dimension of movement. Also, I think the card
supports up to something like 8 joystick-things(pedals, yokes, etc) while
I think old joysticks support two joysticks (right?). I was also after
any info you might have to get me started writing my own drivers, beyond
the DriverKit online docs, like other sources/books/etc.
Thanks in advance.. HC
Dave Briggman
: I guess all those people using and following NeXT for 10 years isn't a
: community. Yes, we definitely are alot smaller than the Windoze community,
: but the greatest form of flattery is having every other software developer in
: the world try to copy your technology!
You obviously haven't been a NeXT follower for any great period of time.
Apple was just about TWO ten years ago...and "all those people" you speak
of might amount to 150,000 and a good bit of them are in businesses where
NeXT would never get public exposure.. please don't help others' arguments
with mistatement of fact.
Dave
Terry Wilcox
Apple was just about 2 what?
Apple's been around since 1977, so it can't be years.
And isn't NeXT 10 years old this year? Was it '86 or '87 that Steve got
turfed and founded NeXT?
So Dave, what do you mean by "Apple was just about TWO ten years ago".
Maybe you meant the Mac?
Terry Wilcox
--
Terry Wilcox
Arcane Systems Ltd.
te...@arcane.com
Godwin
>>You obviously haven't been a NeXT follower for any great period of time.
>>Apple was just about TWO ten years ago...and "all those people" you speak
>>of might amount to 150,000 and a good bit of them are in businesses where
>>NeXT would never get public exposure.. please don't help others' arguments
>>with mistatement of fact.
>Apple was just about 2 what?
I think the word here is DECADE! 2 DECADES!=)
hehe
Godwin
===
#include <Standard_Disclaimer_Blah_Blah_Blah.h>
Godwin Chair, Sierra Club OnLine Services.
Feet on Ground, Heart in Hand, Facing Forward, Be Youself. -- Jann Arden
Pohl Longsine
> You obviously haven't been a NeXT follower for any great period of time.
> Apple was just about TWO ten years ago...
The Macintosh was approximately two years old a decade ago.
Apple, itself, has a longer history.
> please don't help others' arguments with mistatement of fact.
LilHoot53
writing of drivers. I am a student of Business (Acctg major/computer
enthusiast) allured by the interface and enthralled by the technology.
It would be a great resource for those of us non-techies in the the NS
community.