<< The question that i have is, how do you get Open BeOS to run... *can* it be run? I would love to try this thing out if it's just mature enough to be tested... >>
Open BeOs is still for the most part in the pre-alpha stages.
<< I don't understand the point behind the OpenBeOS project. Since they're going to have to start from scratch, why recreate the BeOS? >>
The goal of OpenBeOS R1 is to be source- and binary-compatible with BeOS R5, which was and is in a lot of opinions the best OS out there.
<< It didn't have that much software support. If they're willing to create an Open Source OS from scratch, why not make something totally new and better than the BeOS? >>
This was taken from the OBOS website and will hopefully answer yuor question:
Why don't you build something better than BeOS R5?
We have, we are, and we will.
We have. Anything finished as of your reading of this is open source. That is better for the community because they can be assured that it will never "focus shift" or go away on them.
We are. Much of the code being written today is being written with an eye toward the future. Networking is in the kernel. All of the bad design decision legacy from pre-R5 is gone. We are implementing the pinnacle of Be's (released) design ideas.
We will. R1 will be the first OpenBeOS release. We have many great ideas (and welcome yours on the GE list) for R2 and beyond. The best is yet to come.