Elevator Pitches

[JackScott]

I'd like to play a game. Everybody is invited to post elevator pitches of their operating systems. For those not in the know, an elevator pitch is an overview of an idea or product, usually about 75-100 words long. Short enough that you could tell it to people within the space of an elevator ride.

I'd also like to propose that to keep the thread clean and full of juicy content, you're not allowed to comment or discuss an elevator pitch unless you've already posted your own elevator pitch.

To start things off, here's mine:

Synergy OS is a new experimental operating system designed around the idea of an object-oriented command interpreter and a peer-to-peer distributed processing system. Put simply, it treats every single thing in the operating system (from a single string to an entire movie) as an object with it’s own thread. This allows for future systems with hundreds of cores. All the computers running Synergy OS combine to form a single system, using events to communicate. “Data” in the system is simply stored objects, which are stored on whichever computer has the space available.

It's not a perfectly formed idea yet, but it gets the idea across.

[Troy Martin]

Elevator pitches, eh? Intriguing, here's mine:

TBOS32 is the newest alternative platform for low-end computer systems and small workstation clusters. TBOS boasts a slim, lightweight kernel with a built-in shell for interacting with a RAMdisk, making it a fully-usable system that can be booted and have the boot medium removed! Porting programs from *NIX systems is a breeze, as long as you don't need to deal with POSIX systems. TBOS is the future of computing! Download it now for free from http://www.tbos32.co.nr!

[pcmattman]

The Pedigree Project:

The Pedigree Project is a brand new operating system designed to be portable across multiple architectures with support for POSIX and planned support for DOS and native programming subsystems. With a very easy-to-use and speedy text user interface, along with a set of applications similar to that found on a Linux system, you'll feel right at home when using Pedigree.

http://www.pedigree-project.org

[xvedejas]

Valix is a small modern operating system targeting desktops that incorporates an interpreter in its kernel. This allows speed benefits because no time needs to be taken up for context switching, cloning address space, paging, etc. This also allows security benefits since all programs will be interpreted: only the kernel will be ran by the CPU. The interpreter is object-oriented and forms both the runtime and shell for the Operating System. Valix focuses on a simple but powerful design, and currently is targeting the x86 line; Arm and x86-64 ports are planned.

http://sites.google.com/site/valixsys/

[JohnnyTheDon]

Solid is an operating system based on dynamic translation and software protection. All code except for a micro-kernel is written in an object oriented platform-agnostic language (called L). Unlike most dynamic translators, Solid's dynamic translator takes part in runtime operations, allowing the code to transform during runtime. Code written in L is able to compile (and re-compile) by using information about its environment, which is presented to the programmer in the form of an easy-to-use system of configuration options. L also features a rich component model that allows different parts of a program to be run on different computers (and to be moved while running), without requiring any programmer intervention. Built-in coroutines and continuations allow tasks to use fibers (lightweight threads) to maintain asynchronous operations, but also take advantage of multi-processor systems. The OS also allows the use of hardware protection in tandem with software protection, depending on the user's preferences. These features and more are made possible by giving the dynamic translator (and by extension the OS) more information about what code running on the system is doing. My OS's motto: Adapt and Overcome

[Combuster]

This was a sticky thread once... Probably got unstickied after the MT merger

Oh well, my 79 words:

My OS is a combination of kernel and OS software. The kernel is simple to use, fast, and yet exposes the full spectrum of the host's capabilities. The OS reflects those capabilities to the user providing fine grained control, allowing programs to take the most advantage of hardware. The key features-to-be are 3D and other alternative (G)UI designs, transactional software installers, ACLs and access prediction, eradication of malware by whitelisting, and my personal favorite: an absence of reboot needs

[jal]

Ok, something along the line of:

zyamos (working title) is an experimental OS implementing a nano kernel and fully asynchronous messaging. Communication between components is handled via messages. Threads are only created as a response to a message being sent. Threads cannot block, but messages may block (i.e. their delivery is postponed). The memory manager, scheduler, process manager, interrupt manager etc. are independent entities and live in user space. zyamos aims to be largely platform independent, with support for x86(-64), ARM, PPC and MIPS.

JAL

[qw]

Hobbes is Yet Another Operating System that absolutely nobody is waiting for. It does not incorporate anything innovative or interesting, has hardly passed the "Hello, world" stage and is being developed for fun only.

[NickJohnson]

I really already have one on the projects page (79 words):

Khaos is an operating system that aims to be an ideal environment for general programming. It is written to be simple, concise, and easy to modify both on the source and system levels. Its architecture transfers maximum low level control to the application programmer, but also provides many high level libraries. All tools in the base system have both shell and C interfaces to allow simple code reuse. It also features a from-scratch toolchain with a builtin virtual machine.

[gravaera]

Hi, nice idea for a thread.

My OS is a general purpose desktop OS. Its design is based on the concept of a river. The kernel is the Source, and is composed of modules, called Tributaries. APIs are written to resemble streams flowing off from the different aggregate modules of the kernel, and are called Distributaries. The network manager will be called Aqueduct, the CLI Shell = Clam and the Graphical Shell = Oyster. Currently, though: implementing flawless multicore support is frustrating the developer [/quote]

[jal]

Hobbes is Yet Another Operating System that absolutely nobody is waiting for. It does not incorporate anything innovative or interesting, has hardly passed the "Hello, world" stage and is being developed for fun only.

I vote for Hobbes for the Admitting the Truth price of 2009 :). Fun is absolutely the keyword though!


JAL

[AndrewAPrice]

Perception is an operating system built around a dream that technology is a platform for seamless collaboration. Scrapping the desktop metaphor, Perception will transform desktops, tablets, smart boards, and surfaces into seamless interactive white boards, changing the way you think about and use technology today.

That is of course, when I finish it (or get it to a usable level).

[neon]

Heres mine (59 words):

Neptune is a microkernel base operating system suite designed to be very portable, modular, expandable, and easy to use. It is almost entirely graphical, and features its own multiboot bootloader, OS loader, and soon to come system enviornment BIOS and complete computer system package. Comes with software that can be used for everyday tasks. Soon to support 64 bit.

Granted its not entirely up to per yet but we have time

[qw]

JAL, thanks!

[thepowersgang]

My turn:

Acess is a OS that takes the UNIX metaphor and applies a simple order to it, making the power of UNIX available to the inexperienced computer user. Featuring a versatile VFS and modular design, Acess is also easy to extend with the use of both native and EDI drivers.