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ArcaOS represents the latest iteration of the OS/2 Operating System (OS) used to run Roos Instrument's system software for Cassini and RI7100A Automated Test Equipment. The embedded OS requirement comes from how the Cassini Guru App is written in an object oriented Smalltalk programming language that currently only runs on a OS/2 kernel. Long term plans for this application involve porting it to RTalk that can run on any Java VM supported OS using modern web based UI. Other Guru Applications can be ported to Windows and Linux platforms. Contact [email protected] for more information.





Notable ArcaOS Features
  • Improved hardware support from eCS for improved EPC performance (with potential test time reduction) and advanced hardware configurations (multi-monitor).
  • Modern open source software support (Firefox 38.8+, OpenOffice 4.1.3, etc.)
  • Improved shared network folder and printer support with the Samba and CUPS
  • Dynamic Icons for supporting high resolution displays
  • Screen Capture with PMCamera to .PNG format
  • PM VNC Server, FTP Server, PDF creation and other 3rd party tools installed
  • Command line 4OS/2 with auto-complete and other features familiar to linux users (like pipe |)



Notable eComStation Features
  • Improved hardware support from OS/2 for improved EPC performance (with potential test time reduction). Last release Dec 2013.
  • Shared network folder and printer support with the Samba and CUPS
  • Multiple virtual desktops for extended task switching
  • Screen Capture with PMCamera (.png format upgrade available), PM VNC Server, FTP Server, PDF creation and other 3rd party tools installed


OS/2 Features
  • Stable 32-bit Kernel with proven performance and reliability. Last release 2001.
  • Support for Digitalk Smalltalk/V PM released 1989
  • Low target for abuse from operators unfamiliar with the platform and virus writers has made this a resilient test floor OS.
  • Secure Workshell used for MILSPEC security and auditing.
  • Virtualization support by VirtualPC, VirtualBox, Parallels, VMWare, etc...


Background
In 1994 when RI was founded, OS/2 was perceived as superior to anything Microsoft or Unix platforms offered at the time. OS/2 was last released by IBM in 2001 but was maintained as eComStation. In 2017, ArcaOS was released and first deployed in the RI8474 EPCs and Cassini Virtual Workstations. ArcaOS continues to support updates to the OS/2 platform with the modern UI improvements, a modern package manager and drivers for the latest hardware. Cassini applications are written with a combination of Digitalk Smalltalk\V PM, IBM Visual Age Smalltalk, and Java programming languages. RI has developed Guru as a platform for OS agnostic development that is purposely designed to solve the problems typically encountered on semiconductor test floors. While Guru currently supports OS/2 (ArcaOS), Linux and Windows, not all applications support all OSes. Smalltalk\V apps (Cassini) are only supported by OS/2, while Java (Guru Browser) and Visual Age Smalltalk (Guru, Device Connection Editor) can run OS/2, Linux and Windows. Future development is focused on porting to a rich user interface build with Node.js and React framework to support any device with a JVM running the back end.


To check what Version EPC or System Controller:
1. Launch a Command Window
2. Type "version" and press [Enter] key.
3. Compare output to the Figures below.

Figure 1: ArcaOS


Figure 2: eComStation


SMB Support

Server Message Block (SMB) is a popular file sharing protocol created by Microsoft. SMB is mostly backward compatible, but security concerns have limited or reduced some functionality over time.

OS/2, eComStation and ArcaOS utilize Samba for connecting with SMB network servers. SMB protocol versions (i.e. ArcaOS uses samba 4.11 level that supports SMB 3.11 and below, eCS Samba Client that comes with eComStation 2.0 GA is on 2.0.4 level. eComStation 2.1 is on 2.1.0 level.) and with various capability limitations that may be transient due to security mitigations on the Server side. That is, a new security vulnerability may require a specific feature, like browsing available shares, may be limited.

OS VersionSamba VersionSMB VersionNotes
ArcaOS 5+4.113.11Latest version of SMB, Win10+
eCS 2.12.112.1
eCS 2.02.0.42.0

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