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Win9x Developer team


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Indeed, it doesn't matter if you program in Borland C++ or or Microsoft Visual C++. Write in whatever you like.

I wouldn't use minGW on Windows as a compiler, though. It's not adequate on that platform. If you want a free C++ compiler, get Borland's free command line tools.

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Indeed, it doesn't matter if you program in Borland C++ or or Microsoft Visual C++. Write in whatever you like.

I wouldn't use minGW on Windows as a compiler, though. It's not adequate on that platform. If you want a free C++ compiler, get Borland's free command line tools.

The Borland 3.1 we learn at school is waaaay too outdated. For learning at home i use Bloodshed Dev-C++, seems like the best free IDE to me.

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STEP 1: COLLECTING OF SYSTEM FILES

since i have installed Exuberants service pack and later i thought that most holes and bugs in system were fixed (apparently yes) i didnt looked up for newer dll versions. when i starded Immolator project i found out that there is a lot of dll versions all over internet and it is hard to say which is better.

Now i started structural analysis of all files in my own system and i am quite dissapointed how many old files i have here. many of them vere later fixed, oficially or unofficially.

right now i am going to download most patches from MDGX's web page and put them to structured analysis and compare. The files will be collected into one work directory and file versions will be synchronized and later updated for newer version. Newer version MUST have differences in files, not only locals.

At the end i will have complete list of most recent win98se system files, with their dates and versions. The list will be here for comments.

STEP2: GRAPHIC AND SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS

In this step we will create new themes, new icons, new buttons etc. In this part will be also added upgrades such as uberskin, kernel ex, 137gb fix, 2gb fix and other major system upgrades which are making win9x more usable and some other things. Also there is a question what to do with RLoews memory patch... These files will be added only when creators of the upgrade patch will agree with that.

in this time we can create one installer for all these upgrades. idea is to make differences between bugfixes and enhancements. in this time NO applications will be added.

STEP3: LOCALIZATIONS

When the english system upgrade will be complete THEN we can step to the czech, slovak, polish, german, and many other locals. in this case additional bugfixes will be needed to pass thougt errors which may occur.

STEP4: GNUWIN

In this time it is best time for qnuwin to add system features via applications. This part can be added to installer but only when the rest is completely finished.

STEP5: FURTHER UPGRADES AND UPDATES

Any upgrade for windows 9x file which will be available will become also part of this package and will be released with it so soon as possible. file will be checked for errors, later upgraded with our graphics and later localized to all supported languages. then the new release of this pack will be out.

Also there might me necessary to merge some upgrades into one (for example somebody create an upgrade from file version 4.10.1998 which allows larger files than 4gb and later we discover that newest release of the dll was 4.10.2228)

so the train is moving out the station, so i am asking again who is or will be aboard :)

XStyle - you will have to create new graphics such as start panel, welcome, logout panel, system applets, start menu and others. i know there are many of them right now, but we need new one. Documented, with source code available and with graphics in BMP format if possible.

MDGX - i am able to separate all system files from your page, and other projecs and later from internet, but you are the best when it comes to this. you know all files for win9x. will you do this?

Tihiy - Uberskin and wll are the things that will be surely needed, also your work with RP7 is great inspiration for me personally. You are skilled coder and i believe that you will be able to recreate your system applets again with source code and later Xstyle will add his graphics there...

Philco - we can make czech and slovak locals when all files will be separated and jeweled with new graphics and features.

Analada - can you create an installer?

Xeno - i am counting with you in close future :)

Unique - i believe there is time for maintaining for files ...

Legal information (at least here for slovakia):

User is able to modify his computer system in manner to be more functional or more efficient and is able to fix all his potential errors. the range of modifications is not specified in law and not in eula.

(it means that you can edit your autoexec bat, change all possible settings in GUI or outside it)

User is able to install any program on his computer.

(that means user can install any program even if it modifies or alters system files, and it is not striclty specified if these files are third party. This is normal, because many drivers and apps are adding new system files, altering registers and other files - such as system ini, autoexec and other. Only what is certain that support from system developer is void - and right now when there is no win9x support it really doesnt matters)

eulas are generally speaking about reverse engeneering when file is being transformed back to source form and parts of its code are used to create completely new product (mostly commercial). Support package is NOT a new product. All files included were created for cooperation with win9x systems.

using winME/2k/XP files in Win98SE

this can be problem because part of other commercial product has been added to different commercial product. This way of system upgrade is legal only when you own a license for newer systems. BUT if any upgrade package created by microsoft is intended for all Win9x family these files can be legally installed to older systems

(for example - file xyz.dll has version 4.10.1998 is a part of win98. WinME contains version 4.10.2222, but later MS created patch for win9x systems with version 4.10.2228. Win98 can be used with versions 4.10.1998 and 4.10.2228, but not 4.10.2222?)

Because of this the situation is very unclear, but normally if the file is a part of your system you can upgrade it separately as said in first legal section.

so... i hope most information were correct (i have here some eulas and some books for lawyers - and i have read them carefully).

This future package cannot produce any profit and cannot be distributed to users which does not own Win9x legally (rules which are obeying dll-files and other web pages).

edit:

DLLs and executables which will be approved to be part of the package will be marked with version nubmer 4.11.****, where stars represents original version number. so the pre alpha version of the package will be called as 4.11. (as windows 3.11 :) )

Edited by Offler
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It sounds good! Like i said before count me in! Well...we need a design for start, a schetch of this project(what colors should we use, the logo,the name..etc.). We will use the classic logo, the same colors as original win98? We need to make it in baby steps..make it, test it and test it again!!

:yes:

Edited by Xstyle
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STEP 1: COLLECTING OF SYSTEM FILES

1st: a well-structured project needs good documentation !

We could start from/update this Wikipedia page, IMHO (and using Wikipedia as a documentation engine could attract more peoples, too).

2nd: I believe it could be a good idea to start from a minimal version of Windows such as Mindows, but we can discuss this.

STEP2: GRAPHIC AND SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS

Yes, we could start from graphics then go to OS components, but I believe that the 1st move is to build/adapt an update manager; from a user point of view it could be simpler and exciting to "receive" the upgrades when are available and tested, istead of searching in forums, downloading the right one then upgrade.

That's my opinions, of course, I hope that helps (or at least inspires). :angel

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:thumbup Patchworks came up with a good CommonSense Idea:Also;Check past forum applications such as: for proper 9x-Win98SE drivers used for every type system,new and old which users are currently using for thier system compatibility.As this is thy most biggest"headache"problem for new updates as thy systems is 1999-2001 and newer updates with incorrect drivers causes all"#@$&"heck to occur and takes days to re-pair and re-install durable-stable system.i can possibly test on 1st computer=PentiumS(I)166mhz-66mhzbus-32mbRam-1.5gb/hdd,234mb/hdd,cdr,cdrw;and 2nd Computer=Via-apollo233mmx-233mhz-66bus-64mbRam4.75gb/hdd,20gb/hdd,cdr,cdrw(runs as Pentium4);and another3rd Desktop/Laptop=Avenia lp6613(chempc)Onepiece,16#,tough and awnry computer:500mhz-100mhzbus-128mbRam,10mb/hdd,1gb/flashusbhdd,2gb/flashusbhddwith possible 80gb/usbhdd in mail soon.....lookin'at"Power-ful" Micron P3 500 ,256mbRam-1.2ghz-20gbhdd 2-cdrw....if not already sold by friday when i can get it financially safely....all current systems have Win98SE+all new update packages available plus different combinations of RP7 and Renovatio98 and etc...to add flavor each particular computer systems compatibility :hello: thydreamwalker
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What should be the name for project?

Who wishes to be the leader of programmers?

And there is visual mingw we can use that for programmers who are used to visual studio It gives Graphical user interface.

I am in 7th grade so I haven't started learning much programming except for some basic rules.

So I can't help much as a programmer.But I hope that till May I would have collected enough funds to hire some programmers who would help us in developing the future releases of this project.

C programming language should be used.

And we can take some changes and code from reactos and there is something we should use ourselves.And we can turn windows 98 into a whole new operating system

And sorry I forgot we should implement some functions on which we can run windows 2000 windows xp and windows vista drivers on windows 98

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I can make installers too, and have some gfx skills, will help with that if i'm not too lazy. Also i can get some more gfx'ers to work on this, just say it if you need it.

patchworks came up with a great idea with that wiki page, we're gonna need it. About the 2k/XP drivers usable on 9x, i doubt that could happen since the NT kernel is a completely different beast. We're gonna have to adapt the drivers, we can't just make them compatible.

And we won't be able to use much code from ReactOS either, as the goal of ReactOS is to be compatible with the NT kernel.

Project name... Hmm, we'll give it a thought. PS. thydreamwalker, please post in paragraphs, your posts are hard to understand. And what about WinME? 98 has severe network issues with my laptop, therefore i have to use ME.

Ah, and i have a pretty good idea about the looks of the new win9x. I LOVE thin titlebars, so my guess is it shouldn't be XP'ish or vista'ish, but a nicely skinned 9x look. Keeping the blocky style on the buttons, we just need to redesign them and give the bars a nice sleek pattern, i think that will look nice. Base color should be the blue from the default win2k background.

I'll try to show you what i mean, i'm off to wrap something up. ;)

Edit: There you go, a start button. Not that good, but i think the color theme is nice. Maybe a lil darker tho.

clipboard04nz5.png

Edited by Th3_uN1Qu3
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to patchworks:

we need some kind of patcher, but it is quite difficult to do that. also my eXPerience shows that it is better ot create single package and then distribute it. ZIP package is safe for transport throught internet. many people said to me that automatic updates caused many trouble because new versions were not tested correctly

Also as first thing the system updates must be done, and later graphics. this just cannot be chaged, or some things will be done twice.

The documentation is needed. right now i am collecting all possible updates to find the most recent files. it took a day to check all updates which i have used with Immolator. it is aprox 52Mb of data and around 200-400 files which have been installed in my system as an upgrade. When basic windows 98 has approx 250mb then it is very large number. and when i finished and i started to synchronize them with my system i found quite a lot of files which needed to be upgraded.

right now i am collecting only "neutral" updates which are bugfixes, version upgrades and others. files are being separated to directories and extracted from their packages. this allows us to create database with dates, and versions - easier to find and easier to upgrade single file (if somebody find one better).

mindows... maybe, but i have collected a quite large amount of dlls :)

to unique:

pick up the Sky98 Theme if you wish :)

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Good work Offler! I know the Sky98 theme, but i dunno, i feel like we need something different. Maybe create a theme based on it... Dunno.

I await confirmation that things will really get moving, and maybe i'll do a theme myself. ;)

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Regarding the list of files, would it be better to have separate lists for each OS or one that covers all of them? It also might be helpful to include digital signatures for the files to help differentiate between standard system files and those that are patched by 3rd parties.

Rick

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