BetterWB-like enhancements for OS2.1?

[Gulliver]

I am just curious of the reasons you have to avoid 3.1

Yo can get 3.1 for almost nothig, burn your own rom or even softkick it, and it has a lot of enhancement and bugfixes.

[Gulliver]

I've read many times about how superior 3.1 is over 2.1.  Being a simple user (not a degree'd computer scientist), I'm often hard pressed to confirm that it really is a huge improvement, especially on older OCS and ECS Amigas.  Some off-the-cuff specifics, the Datatypes scheme  is OK on a fast Amiga, but dog-slow on lower spec models. I frequently use my favorite datatype-unaware utilities for speed, even on the 060 model.   Also, the palette prefs on 3.1 seem like a leap backward compared to OS2.1.   Someone wrote a wonderful animated busy pointer that I cannot get working with KS3.1.   Etcetera.

My intent here was to explore what updates could be applied to OS2.1.  I think it is worth having a 'living' example that can read long-file-name CDs, swap icon images without renaming, etc.  If there are bug-fixed libraries and device handlers for OS2.1 too, I was hoping folks would share them in this thread.

The way you explain it, sounds pretty reasonable.

If only I could manage to get a little more free time before Christmas I may give this concept a go.

Suggestion: Why dont you start with BetterWB as a basis and then remove/replace components that are not 2.1 compatible? It shouldnt be that hard, and I can help you if you run into trouble.

Off topic: I thought on doing an enhanced AmigaOS 1.3.x version just for the fun, hard retro feeling and simplicity it delivers. But if that happens, it will surely be next year.

[Gulliver]

Actually improvements in OS 3 are rather small and you can save some precious memory with older versions.

I dont think the 2.x to 3.x update is minor.

Just take a look at this:
http://www.gregdonner.org/workbench/wb_30chg.lha

and add

http://www.gregdonner.org/workbench/wb_31chg.lha

[Gulliver]

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.

[Gulliver]

I'm still up to my butt in alligators,

If I understand you correctly, you simply installed a fresh copy of OS2.1 and loaded BetterWB on top (the same proceedure as if it was OS3.1)?  If true, that's very easy.  Sadly, I haven't had time to even try this yet.  Next month looks better.

No, maybe I didnt explain it correctly.
All I did was a clean install with no extra software on the same hardware, first with 3.1 and then after formating, with 2.1. This was just to test the actual benefits of using 2.1 over 3.1.

The thing is that 3.1 only uses about 4KB more of memory than 2.1 and has a lot of bugfixes and enhancements. So despite what others said, there is clearly no reason to stick with 2.1.

[Gulliver]

@Tenacious

Well done!

Now I will play a bit with your findings and report back

[Gulliver]

Gulliver, I finally got some free  time to look at the enhancements included in BetterWB and filter those that are compatible with OS2.1.   It turns out that the majority of the programs that you assembled into BWB are also 2.1 compatible.  In fact, it is much simpler to instead list those that require OS3.x.   Naturally, the improved Data types are useless in OS2.1.  So, here's the list of 3.1 specific stuff:

Finder 2.06
Fullpalette         (IMHO, the Palette.prefs from OS2.1 is superior to the one supplied with OS3.1.  I'm not sure a palette locker is needed.)
IconAppearer
ILBM            data type
JFifDT         data type
PCX            data type
PNG            data type
Speak-handler      (Apparently, this is NOT the last Speak-handler that Commodore included with OS2.04)
Targa            data type
TextDT         data type
TIFF            data type
UnixDirs3
Visage39.22      (I will miss this one!)
WaveDT         data type

A surprisingly short list, especially if the data types are excluded.  Those above were the enhancements that clearly stated in their docs that OS3.x IS required.

The following is a list whose docs did not specify any OS requirement.

Avail         (command replacement)
Boards
CX
Fat95
Mathtrans   (originally Quicktrans on Aminet)
Monitor drivers
Next            (text reader, I like this one.  TextView is also very good!)
PSort
Serial (ArtSer)      (There are other (faster?) serial replacements, like New8N1 on Aminet)
SmartWin
SwazInfo
XPKmaster

Another short list that needs to be checked for 2.1 compatibility.

Since 2.1 did not include Multiview, there are a number 3rd party substitutions that simulate its functionality.  I have yet to evaluate those.  The one written in E looks interesting.

Okay, I played a bit with your information:

Finder 2.06 could be replaced by FindMe 1.3 (Aminet)

To be able to display JPG, GIF and ILBM files you could use ViewTek (Aminet)

To play WAV files you could use the old Play16 v1.8 which works on 68000 (http://cd.textfiles.com/amigaplus/lesercd16/CD_System/Play16/)

UnixDirs3 can be replaced by UnixDirsII (Aminet)

New8N1 is a rather incomplete but faster serial.device. It will work depending both on the configuration of your device and the application you are using. I recommend you keep artser unless you really know what you are doing, because New8N1 will fail under some circumstamces.

The list you mentioned that the docs have no specific requirements stated, should work (I havent tested your Next/Textview propositions though!)

And as you mentioned, mv2_x.lha seems a reasonable multiview replacement if you get it compiled and linked. You could even adjust it to use both Play16 and ViewTek.

[Gulliver]

If you have the info handy, do you remember what would cause New8N1 to fail?

No problem. The thing is that New8N1 will only work if the serial port is configured this way:

    8 data bits
    No parity
    1 stop bit
    RTS/CTS handshaking
    No handshaking
    EOFMODE

It also supports sending breaks, but not receiving them.
It works most of the time because this configuration is very common.

[Gulliver]

I think the packages I most need to test are Fat95, QuickTrans, Next, SwazInfo, and XPXmaster.

Fat95 and XPKmaster will work, I can confirm it.
Next requires 3.x so it wont cut it, but TextView will work.

[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.

[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