OSDev.org

Do you think an 11 year old might (JUST MIGHT) be able to write a simple, DOS-like OS, and, in a few years, do what the unmentionable 'M' company did, by building a more complex OS around it? Please don't be rude; I am only 11!

Possible - yes! But don't set your expectations TOO high or you may be dissapointed. Just do what you can. You're still young, and your goals may change, but if you get the experience now, even if you don't make a major contribution now, it can help you a lot when you're older.

Well, I am 16 years old and I am developing (or trying to) an operating system.. there's no limit of age, but you must have a bit of programming experience. I mean heavy programming, understand how does a PC work. When did you started programming?
It took me about 7 years to become an OS programmer.

Good luck! =)

More power to yah!

but a little sagely advice:

-Try to program an easy device or language first: Try a TI-83 calculator or a GW-BASIC/QBASIC interpreter; Try to make your kernel their so you can get your bearings(You'd be suprised how far you can go before you hit a roadblock

-Think of what YOU want not what THEY want: So it becomes YOUR OS and you care more about what it does

-It's OK to set high goals; Just remember that it takes a lot of time and hard work. So don't get discouraged if it doesn't work exactly how you wanted it to (Very few(if any) Os devr's create a masterpiece on their first try )

I am just thirteen and I am in the world of OS development - It is kinda fun making stuff. Remember to keep your head cold.

Before your start make sure you:

Know C/C++
(understand macros, classes, pointers, binary trees, and of course the basics)
Know basic ASM
Know how to plan, algorithms etc.
Read up on some OS theory
Pace yourself so you don't burn out/ don't get lazy
Don't be afraid to start over, several times

VoidLogic

I did some simple boot sector code when i was about 13 or 14... I didn't understand it, but now that I'm 18, its helped me a lot.  Grasping those basics earlier really helped my programming skills.

This is a good thing!!
I started programming when I had 14 (I'm old) and I wrote my first OS Using Basm
and this is my secand OS  that is written in C and Tasm. I'm now 17 and I have
two operational OSs. Then, you can create your OS that will make Bill of the
"M" company kill him self!!! You must be only curious and heavy worker to get
what you want.

Thank You for your opinions! Anyone Else? I think I am just going to look around this Board. If anyoune else has an opinion, please post it.

KidProgrammer

Yes, LOL! I'm 12.

Eric Snabber

Do you know C or asm well? If so, you may write an excellent OS. I'm 14 and working on paging at the moment.

Perhaps you will also want to do something in pmode instead rmode?

Adrian

HOW YES NO?! I'm 3 and i know all these things i wrote six op. systems with GUI-s. Also i wrote big part of Win2000.
And when I was one year old i have already known c and c++ and yeah asm!
And yeah i built an UFO but don't say that to anyone!
And remember i'am only tree years old, and all the things i said is true!

Yes, kataklinger, you certainly do sound like a three year old. Grow up! Just because your weren't programming when you were a kid, doesn't mean others can't. Some of us got interested in programming very young (myself included) others (like you I assume) don't get interested in it until later, or perhaps were never interested in it but just thought you could make a lot of money. Admittedly, I wasn't writing operating systems back then, but that's because I was interested in programming other things. Also, an 11-year-old kid probably isn't going to write a proffessional-quality operating system, or for that matter, a professional-quality anything, but it IS well worth the experience. I know.

Hey Kataklinger, it was funny. But xSadar is right, from the age of 6-14 a wrote alot of qbasic code, games and such. I doubt most 11 year olds have the knowlage of programming theory to devolope a scalable OS, but that dons'y mean they can't learn the basics.

VoidLogic

Wow, this early in the morning i should proof read lol