34 replies to this topic

[gamax92]

How does the operating system stand within the Computer?

• Hardware: ComputerCraft really isn't hardware, so this would be any peripherals and the terminal
  
• Operating system: The operating system manages the hardware, and sets up interfaces for applications to use.
  
• Applications: The applications run in the environment the Operating system sets up. Depending on how the application is started, the application can have lots of privileges or barely any.
  
• The user: The user is you. You interface the Operating system via the Applications running in the Operating system. The application sets up its own interface for use you to interact with.

What composes an Operating System?
The Operating system is the main component, and can be divided into subsections:

• Kernel: The kernel is the heart of the operating system. It is responsible for managing hardware, setting up interfaces, and making protected modes for which programs run in.
  With lua, we have the pcall function. We also have setfenv that can limit the functions in the processes global table.
  
• Drivers: Drivers are sorta like an api. They manage their specific hardware or hardware set and translate that into something the kernel can use.
  Which inturn allows the kernel to provide the Application access to that device if the kernel allows.
  
• Multitasking: First off, multitasking is not needed for the operating system to function. Multitasking allows for multiple programs to run simultaneously, including the kernel. Using coroutines, this can be achieved easily.
  
• Filesystems: Since in ComputerCraft the diskdrive or fs api doesn't access a random glob of data and translates it into files and folders, this is quite different in handling by the kernel.
  In ComputerCraft, this is manageing the fs api, making a large file and using that as a partition, or doing both using the large file as an addon to the fs api.

Linux isn't the only Operating System with a kernel:
Linux comes with a kernel sometimes called vmlinux, vmlinuz, uImage, or zImage. It doesn't need to be called this.
Windows 2000+ has ntoskrnl.exe
MSDOS has MSDOS.SYS, which after 7.0 got merged to IO.SYS
FreeDOS has KERNEL.SYS
OS/2 has OS2KRNL
The Windows 9x family had kernels
Windows 3.11 had a kernel.
Not only linux comes with an Operating System kernel.

Some important notes
Security is very important.
Try your best when making one to be sure that the program cannot fool the kernel into getting more access than it should.
Also, making sure that the programs that have access to the filesystem api cannot delete the kernel.
You don't have to be black and white when giving programs access to certain things. It is possible to only give a subsection of an api.

Example of how hardware of the computer gets access via each limited program execution:
The hardware is a screen, the computer itself (lua), a disk drive, and a modem.
The operating system takes over all of the hardware, except it was built without the knowledge of the modem, so it becomes unused.
The operating system runs a program that can only access the screen and the computer, the disk drive and modem are now unused.
The programs makes an interface that only prints one line when you click on a certain area. Now several features of the screen, the disk drive, and modem are unused.

[Sammich Lord]

May I ask what the point of this topic is?

[gamax92]

Ń̲͚̳̞̰̯oͅt̵̼̟̣h͏̻̭͍̦̞͉̩i͍͖ṉ͎̫̹͕͎̹g̬̼

[SuicidalSTDz]

gamax92, on 18 March 2013 - 05:51 AM, said:

Ń̲͚̳̞̰̯oͅt̵̼̟̣h͏̻̭͍̦̞͉̩i͍͖ṉ͎̫̹͕͎̹g̬̼

So this is just a pointless topic?

[zekesonxx]

Apparently.

[SuicidalSTDz]

Well, it's not so pointless. Some clueless members might want to read this before making an os. Actually yeah! I advise every clueless member wanting to make an OS, to read this first. Maybe it will enlighten upon some new ideas instead of a nub lock.

[spyman68]

Well would making a basic touch screen desktop with real PC like functions be counted as an OS?

[SuicidalSTDz]

An operating system (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. The operating system is a vital component of the system software in a computer system. Application programs usually require an operating system to function

I think you know the answer now

People who think a lock is an OS are wrong and should be shunned for this. OS's are a much more complex than the new members see them to be. I wish they would start with something small, like a card game, tic tac toe, or something along those lines. OS's should be left to the people that know how to make them. This is only my opinion and this should not prevent you from making an OS.

[gamax92]

spyman68, on 18 March 2013 - 07:37 AM, said:

Well would making a basic touch screen desktop with real PC like functions be counted as an OS?

No. There is no such thing as an Operating system in ComputerCraft.

[oeed]

This is a good idea, but I think you should change the title to something like "What is/isn't an Operating System"

[gamax92]

oeed, on 18 March 2013 - 10:09 AM, said:

This is a good idea, but I think you should change the title to something like "What is/isn't an Operating System"

Changed the title. If anyone has any suggestions or changes that I can add to the main post, please post here or pm me.

[AnDwHaT5]

gamax92, on 18 March 2013 - 05:38 AM, said:

How does the operating system stand within the Computer?

• Hardware: ComputerCraft really isn't hardware, so this would be any peripherals and the terminal
  
• Operating system: The operating system manages the hardware, and sets up interfaces for applications to use.
  
• Applications: The applications run in the environment the Operating system sets up. Depending on how the application is started, the application can have lots of privileges or barely any.
  
• The user: The user is you. You interface the Operating system via the Applications running in the Operating system. The application sets up its own interface for use you to interact with.

What composes an Operating System?
The Operating system is the main component, and can be divided into subsections:

• Kernel: The kernel is the heart of the operating system. It is responsible for managing hardware, setting up interfaces, and making protected modes for which programs run in.
  The kernel isn't something that only linux has.

Ok this crap is driving me crazy you mean software hard ware is physical like in a real computer ram(memory), a hdd, ssd, motherboard, disk drive, universial serial bus drive(USBD). Software is programs like java, minecraft, computercraft, google chrome, mozila, explorer, what have you ok. Sorry i got a little OCD if you know what i mean.
a example of hardware for cc would be a monitor or a printer or a diskdrive or a modem what have you. Also thank you for taking you time to right something like this.

[FuuuAInfiniteLoop(F.A.I.L)]

You should post a example OS that follow these...

[gamax92]

After a lengthy discussion on the IRC, I've decided to change the content of the post.
Although this topic is no longer useful thanks to the changes, I believe it is correct.
If you'd like to debate this idea, then please do so. but it is true, no matter what you say.
You can only get close to being an OS, but you cannot make an OS. I'm sorry for ruining this topic and I'm looking to have it deleted.

Please come onto the IRC if you'd like to talk. My nickname is gamax92 or Aucarndia.

This nolonger applies, I feel bad about what I did and I'm gonna restore the content of the original post.

[Mads]

This topic should be sticky.

[oeed]

You should have kept the original post. This is no longer helpful to new users in anyway.

[Azhf]

gamax92, on 18 March 2013 - 05:38 AM, said:

Something you can't make in ComputerCraft, so stop trying.

Not to be offensive, but you jumped right into douche-bagginess. If someone wants to make an OS, then let them. If you don't want to see them anymore then go start your own forum, and ban OS-related topics. Some people grew up having different ideas of what stuff is. Red might ACTUALLY be red for you, but if someone was a baby and everyone told them red was actually called green, they would call red green, which would make it different opinions for you. So if someone grew up just knowing the basics of an OS rather than it right down to the core, then it would be different things for them. Sorry if I went too in-depth X3

[oeed]

Azhf, on 27 March 2013 - 02:07 PM, said:

gamax92, on 18 March 2013 - 05:38 AM, said:

Something you can't make in ComputerCraft, so stop trying.

Not to be offensive, but you jumped right into douche-bagginess. If someone wants to make an OS, then let them. If you don't want to see them anymore then go start your own forum, and ban OS-related topics. Some people grew up having different ideas of what stuff is. Red might ACTUALLY be red for you, but if someone was a baby and everyone told them red was actually called green, they would call red green, which would make it different opinions for you. So if someone grew up just knowing the basics of an OS rather than it right down to the core, then it would be different things for them. Sorry if I went too in-depth X3

I completely agree with you. Many people put hours of work in to their software/program etc, and just because they call it an 'OS' means that its stupid and should be banned?

[Pinkishu]

• Operating system: The operating system manages the hardware, and sets up interfaces for applications to use.

So, something that manages the terminal + peripherals and sets up interfaces (APIs) for the lua programs on the PC?

You can even make a kernel taht allows programs to run in protected modes and stuff...

[PonyKuu]

I'm not sure... May I ask what is the CC OS? I know what is real OS, bu CC ones seem to be different There are a lot of "OS"es, and a lot of OS discussions, but I don't even understant what is it, why I need one and what is the point of OS making. The main reason for this might be the fact that I feel CC as very powerfull utility mod and use it for some practical things, such as farming, mining and so on. So, for example? those doorlocks that can be overrided by pickaxe don't make sence for me...