problem with bootloaders

[Solar]

I've decided to try and give GRUB a shot, and delay building my own boot loader (which i will definately do) until i have something worth booting.

You might want to dig for "The Multiboot Specification", which specifies a defined "takeover point" between bootloader and kernel. That way, your kernel could be booted by any multiboot compliant bootloader, and your bootloader could be used by anyone as replacement for GRUB.

But i can't seem to find a binary version of GRUB (that works!) anywhere

As I said, I'll check my local hard drive tonight. If I have a copy of the binary build, I'll upload it to my server and post a link here.

Also, how come GRUB is still in an alpha development stage?

Another thing I don't like about the GNU software lot. They softened the boundaries between alpha, beta, and release quality code to the point of rendering those monikers useless.

From what i can see it's been around for a long time, and it's pretty mature...

It is. There might be things that might be worth adding, perhaps there are bugs in some exotic piece of code, and the spec's should be ported to other platforms to be of maximum use; but for booting your kernel image from hard drive and getting you right into protected mode, it's rock solid.

[Solar]

@solar: I've never even dared to imagine that you with your fine language 'd ever thought about using 4-letter words (oh yesss my preciousss it's tricksy it's verrrry tricksy...), oh how embarassed 'thou' i am ... *bg*

You would be surprised. I can swear and curse like a pirate. Arrrr, matey!

I have a serious anti-RMS/FSF/GNU rant / flame sitting on my hard drive for several months, waiting to become an open letter posted to OSNews.com etc. - only I find it very hard to keep the language to civil levels.

If I start going 4-letter, you know I'm really pissed.

PS: Why is it called "4-letter word", after all? There are many nice things you can call people that don't have 4 letters...

[BI lazy]

why 4-letter-words? well, most of these niceties consist of only 4 letters in english and have more impulsive meaning than the longest and worsest curses *lol*

Why spend time and breath away with *sunzabi+eeeep+*, when there exist so nice shorties like crap, sh(i)t, f*ck,d(a)mn, etc ... even piss is considered a 4 letter word... hm and no this is no pun.

*gg* swearing like a pirate ... welcom' a'board, cpt. jack sparrow *lol*

regarding your open letter: keep it to civil language and form the darts and knifes with appropriate sentences and arguments is much better *gg*.

[Solar]

Sure better, but harder to do if what you really want is walking him down the plank...

[Pype.Clicker]

noticed 'grub' is 4-letters too ?

seriously, i've heard your claims and they sound justified, but dudes, this is an open forum, so try to keep calm and sit back on your chairs, will you ?

[petasaurius]

Solar, what timezone are you in?
*waiting for binaries*

[Solar]

@ Pype:

Spoiler. We're just having some relaxed fun.

OK, OK, I'll shift down a gear.

@ petasaurius:

My, but we are impatient. Don't expect anything before 18:30 GMT.

[Perica]

..

[Solar]

The "official" binary build of GRUB 0.93 is available for download from http://www.pro-pos.org/downloads/grub-0.93-i386-pc.tar.gz. I'd rather you not copying that link elsewhere, I'm not a software mirror for GNU. Consider this a special Mega-Tokyo.com service.

[petasaurius]

Heh, thanks!

[BI lazy]

and here is another grub disk image ready to use for those among us who are in need...

[url http://www.distantvoices.org/download/grubimg.tar.bz2]
empty grub boot disk
[/url]

use it, copy it and spread it at will ) the more it hangs around, the more it gains attention... *hopeso*