Starting with Workplace Shell

If I will start with the idea to "Top-to-Down" to make an OS/2 clone  the first step will be to try to clone OS/2 Warp's WorkplaceShell.

Goal: A 100% open source replacement for Workplace Shell.

Reuse: XWorkplace components (GNU GPL V2).

Project Requirements:

• The WorkplaceShell clone should run on top of OS/2 Warp 4.52 or eComStation 2.x which means that the WorkplaceShell clone should run over IBM's SOM and IBM's PM. 
• Replicate as much of the original WorkplaceShell functionality as possible. Strange stuff (classes) that are not used may not be cloned. 
• Open source under the GNU GPL license, since XWorkplace has a lot of work and derivative works should be done under the same license. 
• Try to replace dependencies on VisualAge for C++ 3 which is used by XWorkplace and try to use GCC compiler. SOM compiler will remain the IBM one.

Pitfalls:

• Developers... I don't have (yet) no one interested on the project. It is also hard to find developers with WPS and SOM skills.
• Money. It will be very hard to find someone for free.
• Any strange behavior (quirks) on IBM SOM will need to be supported until IBM's SOM can be cloned.
• After a working clone of  WorkplaceShell is created, it will require future re-works/tweaking when the SOM and PM clones gets created. 

Other open source code that can be checked for this project:

• WPS-XShadow- GNU GPL V2 
• WPS-CandyBarz 
• WPS-LSwitcher - GNU GPL V2 
• WPS-Bubblepad - BSD 
• WPS-CandyFolder - GNU GPL V2 
• WPS-Doodle-Screen-Saver - GNU GPL V2 
• WPS-ZipZap - GNU GPL V2 
• WPS-Stats  - GNU GPL V2

Next Steps:
This are the first steps that I have pending to understand more this possibility. 

• Know more about WorkplaceShell architecture to understand the work items that need to be procedure. 
•  Try to assess with developer(s) what can be re-used from XWorkplace and  time efforts to accomplish a 100% WPS clone.