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A Free XML-Based Operating System
Dotnaught writes "For the past five years, Xcerion has been working on an XML-based Internet operating system (XIOS) that runs inside a Web browser and promises radically reduced development time. To provide developers with an incentive to write for the platform, Xcerion's back-end system is designed to route revenue, either from subscription fees or from ads served to users of free programs, to application authors. Think of it as Google AdSense, except for programmers rather than publishers. Is it absurd to think this poses a threat to Google and Microsoft?"
It also shows very poor use of XML, sadly. For instance, wouldn't it make more sense to have stuff*< /filespec></cmd>? It's not only shorter, but more future-proof, and more clear.
Still not short enough for me though. XML is OK for interchange, but it sucks as a human-readable markup language, even when used with forethought.
Furthermore, I'm not sure it makes ANY sense to have commands in XML. That's what programming languages are for -- it's the one thing they excel at. What's wrong with cmd(argname="val") or cmd(arg1, { a, b, c="10" })? It's complex to parse, sure, but that's why you make a parser once -- the point is, it IS parseable, without a human correcting the syntax before the computer can understand it.
* Is LinuxBIOS an OS?
No, it is a set of routines to configure a machine before handing full hardware control to a real OS (note BIOS is Basic Input/Output System). Also note that in DOS the BIOS formed part of the OS.
* Is OpenFirmware an OS? Mac OS X needs it to run.
Sounds like it is part of the OS then, not an OS in it's own right. An OS can comprise of hardware and software components.
* Is the BIOS in a Lenovo-compatible[1] PC an OS? (Some have alleged that the added complexity compared to 1981 IBM PC BIOS makes it a Built-In Operating System.)
This is the same as your first question.
* Is the microcode in your PC's CPU an OS? BIOS needs it to run.
No. This is firmware for the processor. Of course your OS needs your processor to work in order to run.