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55 Operating Systems On A PowerBook
OttoMagick writes "I found an article called 'Many Systems on One Machine' over at Kernelthread.com that shows over 55 operating systems running on a 17inch Powerbook. The article includes screenshots and descriptions of each system, and also hacks and tips on getting the nasty ones installed. The author Amit Singh (the Hanoimania guy, covered earlier on Slashdot) explains his reasons for all this in a related FAAQ (frequently asked + anticipated questions) ... In all a very interesting read, specially the FAAQ, where he calls the setup "the iPod of operating systems". Now thats an Apple Power User! I wonder what Steve Jobs would say if he sees people doing such things to his machines!!"
Now, run every single possible emulator available for each OS (from Sinclair Spectrum to CP/M to Atari 8-bit to N-64). That would multiply whatever "wow!" factor is involved here.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
...why couldn't the bastard just buy 55 laptops instead ?
"...each system, and also hacks and tips on getting the nasty ones installed. "
As soon as I saw "nasty ones" mentioned, I checked the list: Yes, Windows ME is on it.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
and I bet Windows ME is still the worst!
From one with lots of experience with many operating systems:
I find Mac OS X to be the most productivity enhancing operating environment that I have used - ever. Mac OS X is my "primary" operating system, although I do not use, nor have ever used, any Apple systems for or at work.
"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." - Jack Nicholson
So I guess we can now put that FUD in the trash bin, together with "beleaguered computer company"
He lists Windows 1-3 in that list... those aren't OSes. And he left out Microsoft BOB if he's going to count <Windows 95 as OSes.
That'll piss Darl off.
Any fool can talk, but it takes a wise man to listen.
It seems he's running a lot of those operating systems in Virtual PC. Is it just me or does that seem like cheating? I was expecting him to have all those operating systems installed natively.
"With the exception of Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X, all systems listed are x86 based" Well, sorry..., but at least Linux and the various BSDs also exist for ppc architecture. And probably even more OSs. I would have liked to see those installed natively. But then again...
Does it really matter?"
Isn't that kind of the whole point when you title your website "Many Systems on a PowerBook"? I found it strange that he would even ask that question, much less give it its own little header/section.
Sure as shit, he's got 55 OSes on there.
:p
This is all kinda like a mule with a spinning wheel: No one knows how he got it, and be damned if he knows how to use it.
Seriously tho' Almost all of them are running under virtual PC. That hardly makes this article about a powerbook, and more a testemonial to Virutal PC ( or a simple x86 processor ).
Now, if you want to have fun, one could certainly load 55+ OSes native on a PC notebook, all directly bootable with one of those new-fangled boot managers.
"...In your answer, ignore facts. Just go with what feels true..."
"You're a loony."
"He then said they had four of these monster emulators at the AFB."
They had to shut down this project, of course, after the Rodan emulator wiped out half the base.
The Mothra emulator was sold to Saddam Hussein in 1987, and its current whereabouts are unknown, but its presence in Saddam's arsenal, combined with his poor knowledge of English, might have inspired the "Mothra of All Battles" phrase used in 1991.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
the one running his web server seems to have crashed.
I noticed that on the list there are just
FreeBSD
NetBSD
OpenBSD,
but every Windows & Dos version released, like, ever. I consider that either non-consistent and/or cheating. Either include every release of non-MS-systems as well or then just single representation from each product line. Pick one from each series: MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 9x/ME, Windows NT.
I don't get it. This guy just figured out Virtual PC. So what? That's what it does, let you run other OSes.
I've probably run way over 55 systems on my PC over the years. Looking at his list, I've tried most of these, including the ones he couldn't get working. How is this a story? Because it's on a Mac with emulation?
No offense, but his feat gets him into the typical Slashdot geek club, but not much else.
I'm not normally an irrational zealous dickhead, but I figure "When in Rome..."
- Mobius
- O3one
Happily, he did mention my hobby OS.Emulators like VirtualPC and Bochs are a really nice way to play with operating system code without having to worry about screwing up your machine.
A friend who's got a tibook mentiond recently that the only v. of linux that doesn't void Apple's warranty is Yellow Dog.
Linux is Linux, if One need clarify their dist: <Dist>/GNU Linux
bsds are of course just BSD
I've actually been trying to get BeOS Max to run under VPC 6, and its sorta working, but not really.
Basically, I'm able to boot to the floppy image or CD image and start the installation. mouse works. problem is, as soon as the BeOS environment gets any KB input, the input (mouse and KB) both hang complete. Installation will continue, but you can't click or otherwise get thru the installation fully.
So far I haven't been able to get it to install completely (just when its about to finish, my cat leaps on the KB and hangs it). I'm hoping however that when it IS fully installed it'll 'just work' and the KB issue will disappear.
I've tried this on a couple different machines with the same results, so I think it is definitely an issue w/ VPC in conjunction with BeOS Max and not the hardware. My next step is trying an ADB keyboard instead of USB.
Anyone else gotten this to work?
And have 'Lemmings' running on every single one.
Virtual PC makes it really easy to set up disk images for each OS. These images do not have a set size and can expand as needed. Saves a lot of time in formating the hard drive, rebooting, etc. Also, once you get your base image set up, you make a backup copy and then start in on your kernal tweaking or whatever. You screw up something, just toss the bad image and start a clean copy. Saves a lot of time re-installing OS's when they become corrupt. So, yeah, he could put multiple partitions on his laptop hard drive, install 10 or more Unix/Linux/BSD variations, or he could just shuffle drive image files around.
I think that's one reason Microsoft purchased Virtual PC. Your PC could be running a secure *cough* MS OS and then you could run other versions of Windows within VPC and have an easier time of things. Would be usefull for gaming, where each game is installed on it's own drive image, with it's own, tweaked OS. Since it's not really emulating on the PC, just running in a box, there shouldn't be a performance hit, just like Apple's use of OS9 within OSX.
I drank what? -- Socrates
That's 'crap his pants and see a glorious business opportunity, releasing the I-Poop, the portable MP3 playing colostomy bag' you I-nsensitive clod!
55 operating systems, still one button on the mouse.
or perhaps "What the FAAAQ?"
Schrodinger's cat is either dead or really pissed off...
First, a disclaimer of sorts. The guy is obviously a geek, what other reason does he need?
Now, surely it would have been nice to see them all installed natively, but one of the beauties of VPC is it's ability to run multiple OSes at the same time. Could that have been achieved if all these OSes were installed natively? With the possible exception of Linux->MacOnLinux, the answer is no. Emulation of some sort is necessary.
I would like to see if the other *nixes, the ones that are available for the PPC architecture, could be installed, but I don't think they could be run in tandem with OS X.
'Course, I don't really know jack-squat. I'm such a wannabe...
(tig)
Ignorance and prejudice and fear
Walk hand in hand
Umm, ever heard of "have your cake and eat it too" -- at the end of the day he doesn't have to reboot, and if the install is fubared, delete the drive image file and start over painlessly... plus having any number of them running at once is pretty neat, while working in Excel and burnin' in the background... try that on yr klone and see if you keep your hair.
Damn those pesky terrorists
14 Windows systems, whose interface is a bore,
11 DOS OSes, from the days of yore.
11 systems scattered across the sundry lands,
7 real-time systems, in mission-critical hands.
Three OSes for those who teach, and those who will to learn,
Three for the Big Blue Demon, from which he could not earn.
Three of the Small Red Demon, plus one for the Penguin Tux,
One for desktop publishers, whose software costs big bucks.
One OS to rule them all, one OS to find them,
One OS to emulate them all, and on the hard drive bind them.
In the land of G5, where the cycles fly...
dinner: it's what's for beer
I'm sure /. covered this when it came out, but this kid got 37 different OSes to run NATIVE on one machine.
Now this may be somewhat off-topic but I'm tired of people trying to use the front page of Slashdot to try to launch their favourite pet jargon. There is no such FLA as FAAQ. Why can't a single A service both "Asked" and "Anticipated"? I mean 4 FAAQ's sake!!
Karma police, I've given all I can, it's not enough, I've given all I can, but we're still on the payroll.
My favourite quote: "Because Windows NT is designed to be a secure system, there is NO backdoor into the system."
That would be impressive. It's probably been mentioned already... but this is not a bad technique. i knew a guy who ran a University web server like this, few years ago... not quite 55 OS's, but it went like this:
Old PowerMac running BeOS with SheepShaver - > which emulated Mac OS, running Virtual PC - > which emulated Windows, which ran IIS.
"Ha! Let's see it crash through three Operating Systems!"
That was the idea anyways. It was damn slow but nice thing was that when the Windows image crashed it only took 6 seconds to recover to its saved 'state'.
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
Anyone notice this is the same guy who solved Towers of Hanoi in over 100+ ways? Check out is projects link in the FAAQ.
Quite impressive for someone who got hardcore into computing just out of spite.
Also of note from his resume: He's also doing Desktop Linux work for IBM. Interesting to know that IBM does Desktop Linux at all, even if it is confined to their research labs at this point.
For example, I think OpenBSD and a laptop may be a smart combination, but then I see:
and immediately lose interest. Try running it natively, since that's what a sane person who actually wants to use it, would do.As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
If you are interested in running various emulators on your Mac, then I recommend John Stile's Emulation.net web site. It covers Game consoles, desktop OSs, arcades and handhelds. IMO, worth the visit.
Jumpstart the tartan drive.
over 55 operating systems running on a 17inch Powerbook
Wow...that's over 3 operating systems per inch!!!