OSDev.org

this is an extracted sub-thread of OS-design ...

I'm thinking of making my first OS with spare bits of code i can find, then piecing together my own interface. The interface would have an address bar at the bottom for typing commands and accessing files and programs, it would also have a clock along that bar. down the right-hand side would be a long strip that would list all the active programs so you could bring them up as you need them. The remaining large square would be where programs would be displayed.
What do you think and how do I get started?

I'm tired so please forgive me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you really want to design/build a GUI. Building an OS with spare bits of code you find around the place won't work (or will take longer than creating these bits of code yourself). This is because everything that needs to be in the kernel is very dependant on the other bits of code in the kernel (for e.g. the linear memory manager relies on the physical memory manager, the scheduler relies on the linear memory manager, the IPC code relies on both the linear memory manager and the scheduler, etc). It'd be as difficult as building a car from different manufacturers parts (e.g. trying to get a bonnet from a Volkswagon beetle to fit on a Rolls Royce chassis with a Ford front grill).

I'd expect that while you're doing all of the work that needs to be done (before you can even start the GUI) you'll be wishing you were doing the GUI. After several years of this you'll give up because it's not what you wanted to do in the first place.

Have you considered writing a GUI for an existing OS (e.g. Linux, MMURTL, Minix) or finding a good OS project that needs a GUI and volunteering?


Cheers,

Brendan
   

I understand the reliance of different pieces of the code, essentially I was gonna build a GUI for another OS but the thung is, the only system I can do this project on is 19 years old, so i'd need to find an OS that would fit. Really I'll probably end up shelling MS-Dos 6.

But still I need some info to get me started, where I can get compilers, what language I should use, where I can locate tuturials.

Is this the computer your thinking of writing an OS for??

On the machine above, I'd suggest assembly as you probably won't be able to find a compiler that would run on it (or generate code that could run on it). As for tutorials any 8086 (real mode/16 bit) assembly tutorial would do to start with - an 80286 doesn't have 32 bit protected mode (and the 16 bit protected mode wasn't too good - no-one ever used it for anything AFAIK). A graphical shell for DOS might not be a bad idea..

I'd be tempted to seal it in plastic and hide it somewhere safe - can't be too many of these dinosaurs left...

BTW how are you connecting to the internet???


Cheers,

Brendan

Yes that's the omputer, except I found the mouse and put a color monitor on it. And actually these systems where mass produced and sold off, not always very popular but there are still a few around.

Finally thanks for the info, if you have links that would be nice.

BTW: I'm still tracking down a token ing modem for it, I'm accessing the internet on one of my other 3 computers.

Hi,

OS-Bones wrote: Yes that's the omputer, except I found the mouse and put a color monitor on it. And actually these systems where mass produced and sold off, not always very popular but there are still a few around.

Finally thanks for the info, if you have links that would be nice.

BTW: I'm still tracking down a token ing modem for it, I'm accessing the internet on one of my other 3 computers.

It may be a stupid question but why don't you forget about the old IBM PS/2 model 50 and work with the other 3 computers instead? In this case you could work on something that may be usefull - any 80386 or later CPU is capable of handling modern OS designs (specific implementations differ).

As for links, have you tried this one:
http://www.mega-tokyo.com/forum/index.p ... eadid=3254

If you are interested in learning 80x86 assembly language get yourself a copy of Intel's "80386 Programmers Reference Guide" (it's much easier to read than later versions). Also try the newsgroup "comp.lang.asm.x86".


Cheers,

Brendan