README for eComStation 2.0 beta 1


INTRODUCTION

This is the first beta release of the eComStation 2.0.
This product is available for download to all registered eComStation 
customers of Software Subscription Services.

For more information on that, please visit: 
http://www.ecomstation.com/subscription/8

1) What to expect from this Beta

This version of eComStation 2.0 is purely intended as a technology proof.
We implemented some new items and we would like them to be tested.

- SNAP/ENT the special licensed version of SNAP by Serenity is
in there, we boot Snap directly from CD-Rom

- Bootable JFS, this version is able to install on bootable JFS volumes.
Installing onto a bootable JFS volume will show a dramatic performance 
increase!

- ACPI, This version installs and detects ACPI
If your system does not boot, check if ACPI is detected, you can disable
ACPI support in page 2 of the preboot menu

- Updated snoopers
These will provide better hardware detection/activiation during boot

- Removed installation phase 3
This results in a reduced number of reboots during installation

2) What not to expect

Nothing else then those things mentioned above are supposed to work,
but if they do you are lucky.

known issues:
estyler can't be configured
Outdated build of mozilla included
Not all bug fixes from eComStation 1.2R are included in this version.


DISTRIBUTION / CREATING CDS

This product is provided as a downloadable ISO file, this is a raw CD
image that you can burn on CD-R media. For instruction on burning the
CD image to CD please consult the PDF document howtoburncds.pdf in the
same directory.

The file to download is: ecs20beta1_cd1_en.zip


TESTING THE DOWNLOADED FILE

You can verify the integrity of the download ISO file using this MD5 checksum:

1415-55FB-29E9-CFF0-56F2-9BA0-6389-F4A5 ecs20beta1_cd1_en.iso

To generate the MD5 checksum of your downloaded file, please download from 
Hobbes: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/util/encrypt/md5suml.zip8


USING DIFF TO REDUCE DOWNLOAD SIZE

If you already downloaded vnext_en_us_a1.zip earlier, you can also download a so 
called DIFF file, from which you can create the new ISO. This requires you to 
already have the previous ISO file available. The following DIFF file is offered: 

BA6B-6E27-0B3C-C98F-E894-0479-DA91-4D2D vnext-a1-beta1.diff
which is contained in \diff\vnext-a1-beta1.zip

Please verify that you have the proper MD5 sum of the DIFF file and the original ISO 
file as well: 4186-DEA2-5EB0-4EB7-900E-939E-3A49-1F0D vnext_en_us_a1.iso (or EN_US.ISO)

In order to create the full ISO out of the older files, issue the
following command: (you can change the ISO names of course)

gdiff -u vnext_en_us_a1.iso vnext-a1-beta1.diff ecs20beta1_cd1_en.iso

GDiff is a tool of Daniel Hellerstein, more information can be
found in gdiff.doc or on the following website:
http://www.srehttp.org/apps/gdiff/8

NOTE: Please verify the resulting ISO to have the correct MD5 sum, mentioned above.

For instruction on burning the CD image to CD please consult the PDF document 
howtoburncds.pdf in the same directory.