BetterWB-like enhancements for OS2.1?

[Tenacious]

Well, having a list of what does not work with OS2.1 is not nearly as useful as its inverse, a list of compatible software.  So, here is a preliminary list of compatible OS2.1 enhancements, mostly from Gulliver's BetterWB.  

ABackup
ACDplay
AddTools
AltTab
AmiCDFS 2.40
AssignWedge
Avail
Boards
Break
ClickNot
CopyRelace
CX
DiskValid
DirWork1.62
Fat95
FFS w/TD64
FindMe1.3
GrabIFF
HDinstTools
Info
Installer v43
JazTools
Join
LHA
MathTrans (QuickTrans)
MinStack
MyFormat
Ordrering (my favorite DirUtil)
PatchRam
PFS3
Play16 (v1.8 for 68000 processors)
Port-Handler
Queue-Handler
ReqTools v2.9
SCSImounter
Serial (ArtSer v37.6)
SerialPrefs
SetJoyPort
ShowConfigENH
SnoopDos
SuperDuper
TextEngine
TextView v1.25
ToolAlias
TotalCalc
UnixDirs2
Version
ViewTek
WBgauge v1.2
WBrun
XPKmaster

Untested Multiview substitutes:
2B_mv_OS2 (usesFIDlib80 - the latest can ID 600 filetypes)
DropAct20
MV2_X
These 3 claim 2.1 compatibility.  I used MV2_X years ago.  IIRC, it must be compiled with the users preferred viewers and their paths, it's not difficult.  The other 2 boast a prefs editor.

Other viewers:
FastView (untested, on Aminet)
Dyna-Show
Shazam (also for Dynamic Hi-Res, untested)

Other small enhansements:
Snap and PowerSnap
SpeechToy2 (needs the Speak files last included with OS1.3 and 2.04)
BusyPointer (eyecandy, untested)
MultiDos (a free CrossDos-like package, on Aminet)
XDME (Text editor, an old favorite)
Redit (recently mentioned here, untested, looks interesting)

Most of the first list is available in BetterWB, everything else should be on Aminet.

[Gulliver]

Other viewers:
FastView (untested, on Aminet)
Dyna-Show
Shazam (also for Dynamic Hi-Res, untested)

From this list I would only choose FastView (and even discard Viewtek) as this app is the one that supports more image types. Remember you should include multipic.library which enables even more types (grab multipic.library from Aminet´s WBView094.lha

Other small enhansements:
Snap and PowerSnap
SpeechToy2 (needs the Speak files last included with OS1.3 and 2.04)
BusyPointer (eyecandy, untested)
MultiDos (a free CrossDos-like package, on Aminet)
XDME (Text editor, an old favorite)
Redit (recently mentioned here, untested, looks interesting)

I would use PowerSnap instead of Snap, as it is much easier to use and configure. Snap is very powerful but difficult to figure it out.
Redit seems a nice choice.
I may probably try to include this last two on a future BetterWB release.

[danwood]

I did a clean hard drive install of both AmigaOS 2.1 and 3.1.

You only save a little bit less than 5KB memory with 2.1 but you will loose all bugfixes and enhancements I mentioned before.

It seems it is definately not worth the downgrade.

I'm not sure there is much enhancements for ECS Amigas, 3.x main enhancements was the support of AGA chipset.  

I've never seen the point of upgrading my A600 to 3.1, it does everything fine on 2.1.

This pack is good enhancement for 2.1:

http://classicwb.abime.net/classicweb/gaae.htm

[Tenacious]

From this list I would only choose FastView (and even discard Viewtek) as this app is the one that supports more image types. Remember you should include multipic.library which enables even more types (grab multipic.library from Aminet´s WBView094.lha

Good Morning Gulliver

If I'm reading you correctly, FastView will make use of the MultiPic.library to display even more image types?  This would be good.  I couldn't find any docs on FastView and only the one archive (WBView094) that seems utilizes this library. I agree it would be great to have a fast, small, comprehensive image viewer for OCS and ECS 68000 Amigas.  

I would use PowerSnap instead of Snap, as it is much easier to use and configure. Snap is very powerful but difficult to figure it out.
Redit seems a nice choice.
I may probably try to include this last two on a future BetterWB release.

I haven't had the chance to play with Redit yet.  It looks promising.

I have an A600HD with 4MB of PCMCIA fast memory.  This may be a better test platform than the A2000 (68030) for some of the packages.

[Tenacious]

I'm not sure there is much enhancements for ECS Amigas, 3.x main enhancements was the support of AGA chipset.  

I've never seen the point of upgrading my A600 to 3.1, it does everything fine on 2.1.

This pack is good enhancement for 2.1:

http://classicwb.abime.net/classicweb/gaae.htm

I haven't tried this package yet.  While scanning over the website months ago, I got the impression that the focus was primarily about improving the appearance of WB (a good thing!).  Are bugfixes and extensions of the OS's abilities included as well?

[Gulliver]

I haven't tried this package yet.  While scanning over the website months ago, I got the impression that the focus was primarily about improving the appearance of WB (a good thing!).  Are bugfixes and extensions of the OS's abilities included as well?

Good afternoon Tenacious:

Yep, the focus is on eye candy and adding some applications which of course make it a little bit more memory hungry.

[Gulliver]

Good Morning Gulliver

If I'm reading you correctly, FastView will make use of the MultiPic.library to display even more image types?  This would be good.  I couldn't find any docs on FastView and only the one archive (WBView094) that seems utilizes this library. I agree it would be great to have a fast, small, comprehensive image viewer for OCS and ECS 68000 Amigas.  

Yes you are correct. FastView looks very good featurewise. I havent tested it properly yet.

And it seems there is no PNG support at all for low end 68000 Amigas

[Tenacious]

Latest Update.  I got it working!

I installed a fresh OS2.1 on an A600HD with 4 MB of PCMCIA fast memory.  My last disk (Fonts) had an error, so the install script didn't finish.  Fortunately, this is an Amiga, and all is well.  Had it been a Mac, the OS would not have validated and never have been allowed to work from the HD.

Next, I commented all the original OS files (in C:, Libs:, etc) as "Original OS2.1" for my own tracking purposes.  In the future, any files without this comment are obviously new.

I then added empty directories to my 2.1 partition that mimic those locations on an OS3.1 install.
Classes/Datatypes/ & Gadgets/
Devs/DataTypes/
Locale/Help/
Storage/DataTypes

Next, I installed BWB 3.4 (The last version I wrote to floppies.  I should have used the last release).  The install script executed without a hitch.

The following BWB additions need to be removed/replaced, since they are NOT 2.1 compatible:
Finder, FullPallett, IconAppearer, and UnixDirs3.  The Speak-Handler needs to be replaced with the last one Commodore included with OS1.3 or 2.05.  The new Prefs/WBPattern needs to be replaced with the original from OS2.1.

Finally, I think HELP: needs an assignment in the SS since it didn't exist before.

Everything I have tested works beautifully so far.  I am pleased.  Thank you Gulliver!