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The Schizophrenic Programmer Who Built an OS To Talk To God

Posted by Soulskill on from the there's-an-app-for-everything-these-days dept.

rossgneumann writes: Terry Davis, a schizophrenic programmer, has spent 10 years building an operating system to talk to God. He's done this work because God told him to. According to the TempleOS charter, it is "God's official temple. Just like Solomon's temple, this is a community focal point where offerings are made and God's oracle is consulted." [The TempleOS V2.17 welcome screen] greets the user with a riot of 16-color, scrolling, blinking text; depending on your frame of reference, it might recall DESQview, the Commodore 64, or a host of early DOS-based graphical user interfaces. In style if not in specifics, it evokes a particular era, a time when the then-new concept of "personal computing" necessarily meant programming and tinkering and breaking things.

45 of 452 comments (clear)

  1. Hmmm ... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Interesting

    While this is creepy, and might be interesting in a clinical sense ... why have we started covering the crazy end of the tech spectrum?

    I'm afraid this just reads like "batshit crazy guy writes gibberish OS, come look at our ads".

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Hmmm ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yes, he's ill. But the OS he wrote is better than any I've written so far--how about you?
      Crazy doesn't mean stupid.

    2. Re:Hmmm ... by fyngyrz · · Score: 4, Funny

      why have we started covering the crazy end of the tech spectrum?

      What do you mean? We've always covered the GPL.

      --
      I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    3. Re:Hmmm ... by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, he's ill. But the OS he wrote is better than any I've written so far--how about you?

      Not sure, it's been a while ... message-passing, multi-tasking microkernel in the early 90s. Hand-rolled bare-metal HD drive controller and interrupt stack, with full ability to read and write FAT filesystems from reading the specs from the technical manual.

      Haven't felt the need since OS class.

      I have no idea what his does, I had to block the image of the scrolling glimpse into the abyss which was the screenshot of the OS before it induced a seizure.

      Crazy doesn't mean stupid.

      Nor does it mean "newsworthy".

      I've known a couple of schizophrenics and various people with varying degrees mental illness. What I would not do is subject most of them to the interwebs without a buffer between them and what happens.

      Does pandering to showing the OS someone with schizophrenia wrote help them in any way? Is what he writes actually healthy for him? Or does it just let him wallow in some of his obsessions?

      So, sure, it's definitely blinking and flashing. Does it actually do anything other than embed his own rituals? I have no idea.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    4. Re:Hmmm ... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2

      Should be filed under GOD (God of Design).

    5. Re:Hmmm ... by aglider · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Naaah! The media it's already full of such kind of people. But maybe this very one is the only to write an operating system ... Sorry, forget this. There was one in Redmond some time ago ...

      --
      Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
    6. Re:Hmmm ... by omnichad · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Not just creepy and crazy - but also a regular commenter here on Slashdot.
      http://slashdot.org/~templeos

    7. Re:Hmmm ... by amicusNYCL · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I have no idea what his does

      Here's a peek:

      God said 640x480 16 color graphics is a covenant like circumcision. Children
      will do offerings. Think of 16 colors like the Simpson's cartoons.

      I wonder if God suggested The Simpsons as a frame of reference.

      We do not put any hooks for future changes. "Perfect" means we always act as
      though it is final, for all time. Microsoft allowed the Windows BMP file format
      to adapt to the future and it became grotesque.

      There is a limit of 100,000 lines of code for all time, not including
      applications and demos. Code comments count, however. 3rd party libraries are
      banned because they circumvent the intent of this limit. The vision is a
      Commodore 64 ROM -- a fixed core API that is the only dependency of
      applications. Currently, there are 80,668 lines of code.

      One platform. x86_64 PC compatibles.

      One driver for each class of device. Limited exceptions are allowed. With
      divergent device capabilities, it is a nightmare for user applications and what
      is gained? A three button mouse is like a leg you cannot put weight on.

      No networking, so malware is not an issue.

      No encryption or passwords. Files are compressed, not encrypted.

      Documents are not for printing. They're dynamic, intended for the screen.

      Just one 8x8 fixed-width font. No Unicode, just Extended ASCII.

      No multimedia. Sounds and images will be primarily calculated in real-time,
      not fetched from storage.

      --
      "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
    8. Re:Hmmm ... by omnichad · · Score: 2

      But nearly every day before that. I guess he's really been working on his OS.

    9. Re:Hmmm ... by MrBingoBoingo · · Score: 2

      TempleOS is actuall a fun thing to play with. It's not replacing anyone's everyday work space, but... sometimes it's fun to turn a modern computing machine into a Commodore64 like environment.

    10. Re:Hmmm ... by omnichad · · Score: 2

      Look before that - almost daily visits. I guess he took an 8-month trip down the rabbit hole.

    11. Re:Hmmm ... by asliarun · · Score: 2

      And if you dig deeper into the code and get down to the electrical level, you start hearing the sound of the universe.

      Ohmmmm.

    12. Re:Hmmm ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I have schizoaffective disorder which is basically bipolar disorder mixed with a bit of schizophrenia. I can relate with a lot of the experiences Terry has had, particularly the delusions and grandiousity. For most of my life I have been a strident atheist, and I still am. However, during both of my most profound manic episodes I came to believe that God had revealed himself to me and that I was destined to do his work and ultimately save the world from itself. These beliefs came about from the same sort of delusions of association that Terry describes. My ability to recognize patterns ran amok and I saw the divine in everything. The most innocous events and observations became messages from God.

      I ended up in the mental health system on both occassions and was treated for acute mania (I am still followed by a psychiatrist). It took some time, but eventually the delusions faded and I became myself again. Unfortunately, however, even with the best treatment, not everyone has the same success. I've met people who have struggled with the same delusions for decades. What I've noticed is that the most well-adjusted people with chronic delusions typically have some sort of harmless outlet for their fantasies. A friend of mine, for example, has the persistent delusion (among others) that he is bastard son of Arnold Schwarzenegger which has motivated him to pursue body-building with great vigor. It has given him structure and purpose in his life, physical health, and opportunities to socialize.

      My take on what Terry is doing is that its basically harmless, and probably a good thing in that it gives him something to do (thus keeping him out of trouble). It is quite true that publicity will only reinforce the delusion, but at this stage it appears that his delusions are so ingrained that the attention probably won't make a substantial difference in the trajectory of his illness.

    13. Re:Hmmm ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 2

      Why would you waste your time posting on slashdot (or anywhere on the internet) if you were having a manic or depressive episode?

      Wouldn't you have more pressing things to concern yourself with?

      I can't speak for manic episodes, but going through a major depressive episode doesn't mean that I'm totally incapable of doing anything at all. The last few months was my latest "down time", I couldn't even stay awake more than a few hours at a time, continuous invasive thoughts of suicide when I was awake, nothing seemed worth it, etc. It happens when you have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and MDD (major depressive disorder).

      Maintaining at least some semblance of routine, of interest in something other than what I was going through, was a "Good Thing." And I must have been doing something right judging by all the +5 mods. I knew that I was withdrawing from everyone around me, so I would force myself to, as much as possible, get out and talk to my neighbors, surf slashdot, etc. It's not easy when you're so depressed that you're sleeping 16 hours a day ...

      There are so many wrong ideas about people with mental illnesses that it's not funny, but the worst is the stigma that prevents the people who are affected from engaging others in a rational conversation. My sisters still tell me I "should just pull myself out of it." That I shouldn't trust my doctors. In my book THAT is crazy talk.

      tl;dr: Mental illness != crazy.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  2. Ob by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Insightful

    At least he didn't create systemd, gnome3, or the Windows 8 UI.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Ob by MouseR · · Score: 4, Funny

      Or any kind of demons.

  3. All Glory to the HypnoToad by CosaNostra+Pizza+Inc · · Score: 4, Funny

    "[The TempleOS V2.17 welcome screen] greets the user with a riot of 16-color, scrolling, blinking text; depending on your frame of reference"

    Does talking to "God" involve having an epileptic seizure?

    1. Re:All Glory to the HypnoToad by Pope · · Score: 2

      Does talking to "God" involve having an epileptic seizure?

      No, usually it involves stealing a spaceship.

      --
      It doesn't mean much now, it's built for the future.
    2. Re:All Glory to the HypnoToad by ArcadeMan · · Score: 3, Funny

      Excuse me, what does God need with a starship?

      --
      Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
  4. Be Gentle With Him by JerkyBoy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I remember that this individual caught a lot of flack for his OS in the past - he really does have a significant behavioral disorder, so if you provide feedback, do so in the gentlest of terms. He's a good guy with a difficult problem and a fun project.

    --


    Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain
    1. Re:Be Gentle With Him by halivar · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Many good men are. Others are liars, or thieves, or adulterers. All men have their sins. Yours is self-righteousness.

    2. Re:Be Gentle With Him by zethreal · · Score: 2

      To show that you're a decent human being. If you know someone has a problem, "poking the bear" can cause that person to get worse or even snap. Someone with a behavioral problem has found an outlet that doesn't involve injuring themselves or other people (either intentionally or unintentionally). If you think this is a cool idea ( I think it's actually pretty awesome ), good for you. If you think it's stupid, just leave him alone.

    3. Re:Be Gentle With Him by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 2

      Indeed. Schizophrenia is a paranoid disorder and often involves the identification of an "other" as an enemy.

      --
      Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'
    4. Re:Be Gentle With Him by WaffleMonster · · Score: 4, Insightful

      your "good guy" is a racist.

      Continually find myself entertained by self appointed judges... many of whom claim to worship at the church of tolerance.

    5. Re:Be Gentle With Him by halivar · · Score: 2

      Actually, I'm free of sins, no idea anout you, though.

      Spelling, typing, and egregious usage of single quotes count.

    6. Re:Be Gentle With Him by Rujiel · · Score: 2

      "I hate organized religion, so i'm going to take it out on a schizophreinic man with a hobby." There, i just summarized that whole stupid paragraph in one sentencd.

    7. Re:Be Gentle With Him by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      your "good guy" is a racist.

      Continually find myself entertained by self appointed judges... many of whom claim to worship at the church of tolerance.

      Describing someone who uses multiple offensive epithets like "nigger" as racist is not being intolerant, it is pointing out the truth.

      You can debate whether he means it (because of his mental illness) and even whether being racist is right or wrong, but that doesn't change the meaning of what he wrote.

      None is saying that racists should not be permitted to speak, merely that they should expect a lot of negative consequences, just as if they were defending Nazism or child abuse.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  5. Noah of the computing age by Qzukk · · Score: 2

    You'll be sorry! Just wait for the flood of viruses to come and we'll see who's laughing then!

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
  6. Hmmm ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I heard the kernel now supports some advanced calling conventions, such as the one where you scream while all the registers crab-walk pieces of your dismembered mind across the room and shove them onto the stack.

  7. Re:IEC 61508-3 anyone? by gman003 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Have you tried version 2.0 yet? It replaced those with loaves and fishes. Has a recurring 3-day downtime though.

  8. Bat$hit Crazy? by MagickalMyst · · Score: 2

    Well, he IS a programmer, after all.

    --
    Political correctness is really just herd psychology pushed by insecure people who desperately seek social conformity.
  9. Who the hell wrote this article? by Tyrannicsupremacy · · Score: 2

    (He can be aggressive and confrontational, sometimes denouncing critics with profanity and call them "nigger.") No editors at vice?

    --
    http://i.cubeupload.com/T6cyLu.png
  10. Re:Oh, please by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 3, Interesting

    He's a schizophrenic, after first being diagnosed as bipolar. The world he sees is not, in many ways, the world we live in. His use of the "n" word when attacked on-line crossed the bounds of our social conventions, but I wouldn't rule out some form of aphasia as well - some words don't seem to mean the same to him as to you or I.

    After all, he calls himself an atheist, but God has commanded him to build an OS, and this doesn't engender any cognitive dissonance - to the contrary, it "proves" that God is speaking to him. And he's only taking one of his medications ...

    Mental health issues are not cut-and-dried. Try living with a serious mental illness for a while and then get back to us, mkay? It's not as easy as you think.

    --
    "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  11. Re:Perfect OS... for x86 by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    Well, God ain't really known for working well with colleagues.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  12. Re:No thanks by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    Don't worry. Jesus SAVES!

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  13. Re:No thanks by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 2

    ... after every level.

  14. Re:Sure, why not? by kamapuaa · · Score: 2

    Holy shit! It was all a lie! Thank you, Internet atheist who posts to a technology website!

    --
    Slashdot: providing anti-social weirdos a soapbox, since 1997.
  15. Re:FTA by Immerman · · Score: 2

    Clearly comments are a sin against functionality, wasting valuable working room with pointless explanations.

    Personally I liked
    > No networking, so malware is not an issue.

    Obviously they aren't familiar with the thriving disk-born malware environment that existed when sneakernet was the only "network" in existence. Or maybe they mean that it will only be capable of running software written from the ground up on that machine - it wont even let you hand-copy code listings from another machine. Which might actually be pretty cool as a technical challenge, but render it pretty useless as an OS.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  16. Re:Very nice, get him help by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 2

    He's been a schizophrenic for almost 2 decades. He lives with his parents because he couldn't make it in the outside world. What he's doing is harmless.

    There's a reason it's called 'mental illness'; because illnesses should be treated.

    And if you had read the article you'd know he's taking medication.

    And while I agree with your statement that mental illnesses should be treated, there's such a stigma attached to mental illness that people actively resist seeking help, and others, the illness prevents them from seeking help. And unless you're in a crisis situation, for most people it's hard to get timely help, which is why the mentally ill end up having to use the emergency ward as their first contact with a psychiatrist.

    --
    "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
  17. Re:No thanks by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nah. Just at the endgame. You're thinking of Buddha.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  18. Re:FTA by operagost · · Score: 2

    Already more usable than the GNU Hurd.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  19. And God responds back... by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 2

    Eliza says: "So you say you feel the need to worship me. Tell me more."

    GLaDOS says: "Well it's about bloomin' time. Go reattach that part that fell off me already."

    Clippy says: "You appear to be writing a holy book. Would you like to change my appearance to one of my 666 skins before I begin to hel...p? "

    --
    If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
  20. Re:FTA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Satan?

  21. 640x480 is not just enough for everyone... by denzacar · · Score: 2

    It's a COVENANT. Like circumcision.
    You know... for kids.

    God also told Davis that 640x480, 16-color graphics "is a covenant like circumcision," making it easier for children to make drawings for God.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  22. Re:There's a Fine Line.. by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 2

    Here are a list of his demands in order to make god happy: http://www.templeos.org/Wb/Doc... . These include MS ... VMware implementing PC speaker beeps.

    And on that we can all agree.

    --
    Your ad here. Ask me how!