512B Contest

[Mikemk]

I've seen several of these in the past, but all before I joined, so here is a new one.
I am not offering any sort of prize for this, it's just for fun. Winner gets bragging rights.
The object is to make an entire os in the 512 byte bootsector. It will be tested on a 8KB hard disk image in an emulator of my choice with a random amount of ram. (>1MB).
The requirements (optional, extra points):

• Easily navigable user interface
• Non-text-based interface
• able to run user made programs*
  • must be included:
  • text editor
    • must be able to save and open files
  • calculator
  • application starter
  • compiler for making applications
• may be single tasking or multitasking.
• HAL and basic drivers

*The kernel must take up no more than 512 bytes. applications and files may be in the extra space, but apps must rely on methods in the kernel in order to run. The kernel will be responsible for screen output, not on an application basis (apps can inform the kernel of what to output)

To enter, submit:
flat disk image
kernel binary
binaries for applications
all source code
name of filesystem used (must be documented on wiki) if applicable
filenames for binaries if applicable

RUBRIC: (0 if required features not present)
10 points GUI
25 points compiler
35 points HAL/drivers
5 points single tasking/10 multi
Highest score wins

[bluemoon]

It sounds odd that a kernel require a certain quality of "user interface", while that belongs to the shell (that can be grant full video access for GUI works totally done in application side). The sames for text editor, and yet application are not counted on the 512B limit.

So it seems fine for a kernel (or technically a boot loader) that expose very few features that it just load a shell application and then load a text editor - all the stuff done on the application side.

I suggest to count all the stuff together for the set of goals, and I suppose it cannot be done within 512B but we don't need to put a limit of that and just see who's more compact.

[shikhin]

Hi,

Butting in to say: no prize, no game.

Regards,
Shikhin