"Now that Linux is the most popular free Unix-like operating system, it shouldn't be a surprise that some projects have begun treating non-Linux operating systems as second-class citizens. This isn't out of contempt for the BSDs or OpenSolaris, it's just a matter of limited manpower: if almost all the users of the application have a Linux operating system and if all the core developers are using Linux themselves, it's difficult to keep supporting other operating systems. But sometimes the choice to leave out support for other operating systems is explicitly made, e.g. when the developers want to implement some innovative features that require functionality that is (at least for now) only available in the Linux kernel."
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Member since:2010-05-19
My suggestion would be for you to look into all of the research done on OS design, and figure out a better one(including the kernel, system calls, and a number of new apis).
Next, figure out how much work it would/will be to get a booting system that's somewhat usable. Next, you'll need native-running development tools.
Now you can start to attract hobbyists.
It would be quite a bit of fun, but there's quite a bit of history behind why Unix is the basis for most operating systems.
Do I have a basic design concept written for an OS?
Yup.
Do I think it'll be through stage 1 in the next year?
Nope. I have too much to learn for that level to be reached.
Member since:2010-04-27
Member since:2005-06-29
Or doesn't it make you crazy when you don't know where to look for files that were installed by some package?
for example is it in /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin or /opt/bin or god know where?
dpkg -L {packagename}
Member since:2005-07-11
Doesn't it make you sick how two different distros can use completely different filesystem layouts ... and still be FHS-compliant? That's what boggles my mind.
Going from a RedHat to a Debian to an Arch system always leaves my head spinning, trying to figure out what is installed where. And they're all FHS-compliant.
Give me a FreeBSD system anyday:
* / is where the OS lives, all the stuff needed to boot to single-user mode
* /usr is where the OS lives, all the stuff needed to run in multi-iser mode
* /usr/local is where you install stuff
* /etc is for the OS configuration files
* /usr/local/etc is for the user-installed configuration files
So nice and clean, and simple, and nicely layered. Considering how often Linux devs scream about "rampant layering violations", you'd think they'd have a nice layered filesystem. But now, even the systemd dev doesn't believe you should separate / and /usr. 
Le Sigh!
Member since:2005-08-18
Member since:2005-07-23
Do folks here still bother to analyze comments or just prefer to mod down anything that questions the majority's view?
I think my comment made it pretty clear that we need something to stand up to Windows/Mac as an open platform. But the corollary to that was "Why do we need more than one of those [open platforms] to do so?"
But then I got foolish and asked "Why should Linux necessarily try to bend over to please the BSDs?"
The replies along the lines of "this is how O.S.es have -- and should always -- been done" do not answer my question; the reason why we're having this situation in the first place is because the Linux ecosystem develops some of its things in its own corner or tries to get rid of legacy stuff.
Is asking the hard questions not allowed here anymore?
At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!
The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.Nokia has posted its quarterly results for the first quarter of 2013, and just like the quarters that came before, there's not a whole lot of good news in there. The rise in Lumia sales still can't even dream of making up for the sales drop in Symbian phones, and when broken down in versions, the sales figures for Windows Phone 8 Lumias in particular are very disappointing. In North America, Nokia is getting slaughtered.
Member since:
2005-07-23
Linux is a technically excellent (or at least very good) system, and it serves as a strong contender against proprietary platforms.
Why should Linux folks care about BSD exactly? This is not meant to sound offensive (though it probably will set off some fires), but the question stands: what's the point of more than one perfectly good system, except the usual argument of "choice is good, competition is good, what if I don't *like* Linux, and what if Linux suddenly dies overnight"?
More importantly, why should we somehow let 40 years old o.s. design principles dictate how Linux should be designed?
Somebody enlighten me. I'm looking for a well-grounded argument for why we must be paranoid about not stepping on anybody's toes and why we should increase the burden of development and hinder innovation by carrying all that legacy baggage.
Disclaimer: I am not a sysadmin and I am not a kernel developer.