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Pure JavaScript Unix-Like Web Based OS

slummy writes " JS/UIX 'is an UNIX-like OS for standard web-browsers, written entirely in JavaScript (no plug-ins used). It comprises a virtual machine, shell, virtual file-system, process-management, and brings its own terminal with screen- and keyboard-mapping.' If only you didn't need an OS to run the web browser on."

16 of 313 comments (clear)

  1. Especially... by nmoog · · Score: 3, Informative

    ..Especially when combined with XUL
    (apologies to slashdot member CTho9305)

  2. If you cant reach because of the /.... by sandstorming · · Score: 5, Informative

    JS/UIX is an UN*X-like OS for standard web-browsers, written entirely in JavaScript (no plug-ins used). It comprises a vir- tual machine, shell, virtual file-system, process-management, and brings its own terminal with screen- and keyboard-mapping.

    For an overview of implemented commands have a look at the complete > JS/UIX-Manual-Pages; see also the > Version-History.

    The keyboard accepts the US-ASCII character set. As key-mapping depends from your browser, you may have to use the cursor and backspace buttons at the lower right of the terminal. A complete keyboard can be accessed at the lower left.

    Compatibility: Netscape 4+, MS IE 4+ and DOM-aware browsers.


    Mirrordot link:
    http://mirrordot.org/stories/1c1bf041ca7144dbe4b35 249a8db7dff/index.html

  3. Why is this in the Java topic? by Tim+C · · Score: 4, Informative

    For the nth time, Java and Javascript have nothing at all to do with each other. The syntax is similar (both being based loosely on C), but that's it.

    It might as well go in the Hardware topic too, while you're at it - after all, it must be running on some kind of hardware.

    1. Re:Why is this in the Java topic? by Tim+C · · Score: 1, Informative

      Because my first name is Tim, and my surname begins with C.

      Nice try though :-)

    2. Re:Why is this in the Java topic? by Tim+C · · Score: 2, Informative

      I would throw the blame in the direction of the person/group that called it javascript rather than come up with a better name for it.

      That would be Netscape. The actual standard is called ECMAScript, but the JavaScript name has stuck.

    3. Re:Why is this in the Java topic? by cant_get_a_good_nick · · Score: 2, Informative

      LiveScript was the first name, then Netscape called it JavaScript. ECMAScript came WAY later after MS came out with JScript, and they wanted to standardize the language, so they submitted it to ECMA. They obviously couldn't come up with a real name either, IIRC that was an interim name but no one could come up with a better one so it stuck.

    4. Re:Why is this in the Java topic? by MoonFog · · Score: 2, Informative

      Oh?

      The change of name from LiveScript to JavaScript happened at roughly the time that Netscape was including support for Java technology in its Netscape Navigator web browser. The choice of name proved to be a source of much confusion. There is no real relation between Java and JavaScript; their similarities are mostly in syntax (that is, both derived from C); their semantics are quite different, notably their object models are unrelated and largely incompatible.
      Source. You have any links on the contrary?

  4. Mirror by b0lt · · Score: 2, Informative

    Mirror here
    The terminal works, just without pictures for the buttons.

    --
    got sig?
  5. Re:Uses? by compass46 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Screwed up the link, for SDF. Here

  6. Artificial Intelligence in JavaScript by Mentifex · · Score: 0, Informative

    Artificial intelligence has also been achieved -- in client-side JavaScript for MSIE 5.

  7. Re:SSH client? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    No. You're the second person to comment thinking this is some sort of SSH or telnet client.

    JS/UIX is a UNIX-like Operating System. Running on top of a Virtual Machine. The Virtual Machine is written in Javascript.

    JS/UIX implements process management, a filesystem (Complete with file permisions), a shell and some familiar UNIX applications such as vi and man. Sadly it does not (yet) feature network support nor a compiler, so it isn't useful in any real sense.

    It is an Operating System running within your browser. Seriously.

  8. Re:SSH client? by Jerf · · Score: 4, Informative

    An absolutely pure, portable, cross-platform Javascript SSH client is currently not possible. Javascript does not have a "socket" primitive. It only has XMLHttpRequest, which can only connect to webservers via HTTP, which is page-based protocol and you can't emulate a socket that way, either.

    Of course you can build an SSH-like thing that has a server component, but that's been possible for a while. (It's not easy emulating a term, and it'd be latent as all hell, but that's what you get.)

    You can hack and hack and hack, but without server support you just can't get past the fact you don't have a real socket connection in Javascript.

    I added all those adjectives at the beginning because if you're willing to write and install a Mozilla XPCOM control or ActiveX or something that exposes a socket you can do it. But that is, presumably, not what you meant since you mentioned not needing to install components.

  9. Re:Uses? by DrSkwid · · Score: 3, Informative

    Corkscrew is a tool for tunneling SSH through HTTP proxies.

    those crazy firewall admins and their rules !

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  10. Re:Uses? by AKAImBatman · · Score: 4, Informative

    Just so you're aware, this only emulates the Unix shell, not the entire Unix OS. So you can see a file system in memory, run vi, cat, ls, etc, but you can't actually interact with any environments.

    The MirrorDot mirror is here so that you can try for yourself. :-)

  11. Re:SSH client? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    It exists, it's called Anyterm, and it's here:

    http://anyterm.org/

    It uses an Apache module to proxy XmlHttpRequest to SSH, or whatever other command-line program you want to run in it.

    Don't mess the Tetris demo.

  12. Re:SSH client? by Jerf · · Score: 2, Informative

    Why not use https?

    Learn what sockets are. Learn (It extends past a single slashdot message.) Learn SSH uses them.

    Then compare with the https protocol.

    Doesn't matter how clever you get; an https connection isn't an ssh connection; you've already lost before any of your JS program's input has made it onto the wire (encrypted or otherwise).