Re: [9fans] plan 9 ports to unix (including libdraw)

[David Presotto <presotto@closedmind.org>]

We need help.  We're falling further behind in supported devices.  We
could use a real browser.  We need better C++ support (someone to
really finish dave hogan's gnu work).  Rsc and I have discussed some
possible projects to keep us going with a small number of people:

- a way to wrap linux drivers so we could use them in our kernel.

	We wouldn't want our most important drivers run this way, but
	it would be nice to quickly get drivers for stuff noone has
	time to work on.

- a native port of X (i.e.  one that actually integrates well with
 plan 9 rather then a straight port).

	If we're going to get a browser that we can use (or use one on
	another machine) this is one way to do it.  Current browsers
	may be outside of our philosophy, but who can live without
	one?

- a better POSIX porting environment.

	'configure' should at least figure out how to build for us.
	Ape isn't quite there.

- an emulation environment we could run Linux binaries in.

	I'm less sanguine about this but it might be a quicker way to
	using stuff from Linux.

I've said Linux rather than FreeBSD.  I like the latter better but the
Linux would be more useful.

I'm not pronouncing our effort at the labs dead (we still depend on
Plan 9 for a lot of stuff) but it sure is moving a lot slower and the
vultures aren't jumping as far away when we throw rocks at them.