OSDev.org

Hello!  Me and a group of people who I met in a Visual Basic chat room on IRC are starting an OS.  We are very skilled in VB, and we are willing to learn whatever language we have to in order to make an OS.  You will probably be hearing a lot from us as in way of help.  Does anyone know any good places to get us started?  Currently, we have absolutely nothing, we are absolute newbies.  What would be the best to help us out, because we dont even have a language picked yet!

Please help! Thanx!

Get the free Borland C++ Builder 5.5 compiler(the best and no contest) and the ELINK linker:
http://users.rcn.com/eaj.pizzi/utils/
Later on u'll need to use JLOC LINKER/LOCATOR when you'll have to link more objs in one. Search for jloc and bcc32.

Well, I have MS Visual C++ already...do I still need this Borland thing?

Microsoft sucks, so yes get the borland. U download it for free from their site.

If u never heard of borland(it's the major company that makes C++), then u should realy start programming.
Even Watcom C++ is better than wisual C++. This is for compilers. If you want windows programming, then get Borland C++ Builder 5.

How to start? Well, I'm working on a doc to put on my site about this(should be there by the middle of next week).

Since you know VB and you haven't mentioned that you know C/C++ I highly suggest that you start learning C, because you will probably be writting most of your OS in C(C++ is a more compilcated version of C and you should only learn it once you have mastered C). I suggest C by Example from QUE for learning C and is very readible if you're coming from a BASIC background(like I did). Eventually, you will need to learn assembly lanuage, I suggest that you start off by reading the Art of Assembly( http://webster.cs.ucr.edu/index.html ), though is huge, and has a lot of tech stuff in it, you will need to know the tech stuff in order to write your OS(you might want to skip Chapter 2 though). Be sure that you get the "old 16-bit DOS" version.

Compilers? I suggest that you use DJGPP for C++( http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/ ). It's based on the Linux compiler gcc which most people will agree is the best around. It's output also works with the linker LD which you will probably want to use. For assembly, I suggest NASM( http://www.web-sites.co.uk/nasm/ ) since most OS Dev examples use it.

Well, that ought to get you started,
K.J.

Hey there!

For os learning I would reccomend the SAM'S TEACH YOURSELF C or SAM'S TEACH YOURSELF C++.  They cost 29.99 each ( for the 24 hours version ) but they're very comprehensive and done by the ANSI standard so they're universal.  That means you can program C / C++ on Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.. and you're set.

On the contrary, I would learn C++ BEFORE learning C because C++ is object-oriented and C is structured, which are completely different.  It's easier to grasp a structured language like C if you understand C++, which has more simple concepts and constructs with fewer restrictions.

But like K.J. said, most OS's are in C so it would be beneficial for the OS's sake to learn C before you learn C++.  Make sure to learn ANSI C or ANSI C++ so that it's universal

No, most people agree that DJGPP is the best for the price. You also get libraryes and a IDE with it, but it's not exactly ANSI. The best is the borland C++ Builder(That's about 1500$). But for OS development you only need the compiler, which is free. So you get a 1500$ tool for free for OS dev.
Trust me borland kicks @$$.

You do get an IDE with DJGPP, but I don't use it and I don't want to use it.

BTW, you say 1500$, that isn't in US right? 'Cause I know that I can get the standard edition for about $100 US last time I checked.

K.J.

The linux version was 6000$ or 3600$(i don't remember) so I guessed that the windows version is pretty expensice too. I'm shure it's not 100. It's at least about 500$.
Yes, the personal version is 70$, the profesional is 1000 and the enterprise is 3000. Remember, they contain less and less stuff. I would buy the personal if I needed to program in windows, but I get the compiller for free.

ANYWAY, THE PRICE DOESN'T MATTER CUZ UR NOT GONNA BUY IT. iMPORTANT IS THAT IT'S A PERFEC COMPILLER IN MY OPPINION(ANSI) THAT ACCEPTS NICE INLINE ASM. Watcom C++ is as nice except for one of the most important features: inline asm.