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Ask Slashdot: If You Could Assemble a "FrankenOS" What Parts Would You Use?

rnws writes: While commenting about log-structured file systems in relation to flash SSDs, I referenced Digital's Spiralog [pdf], released for OpenVMS in 1996. This got me thinking about how VMS to this day has some of, if not the best storage clustering (still) in use today. Many operating systems have come and gone over the years, particularly from the minicomputer era, and each usually had something unique it did really well. If you could stitch together your ideal OS, then which "body parts" would you use from today and reanimate from the past? I'd probably start with VMS's storage system, MPE's print handling, OS/2's Workplace Shell, AS/400's hardware abstraction and GNU's Bash shell. What would you choose?

5 of 484 comments (clear)

  1. Easy by rev0lt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    FreeBSD kernel, Solaris networking/clustering capabilities, and a sort-of Windows UI (Imagine Windows 7, not the metro interface)

  2. Tricky by JBMcB · · Score: 3, Insightful

    BSD style kernel
    MacOS X multithreading
    Solaris networking and filesystems
    MacOS 9 system layout and management (auto install/remove via drag and drop)
    Windows 7 start menu
    System level support for IL - such as .NET or Java
    Control strip from MacOS9
    BeOS multimedia engine
    Linux device drivers
    AppleScript/REXX application scripting
    OpenBSD code auditing standards, firewall
    OpenVMS system partitioning, file versioning and backup

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    My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
  3. Re:Rather Than in more out by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Custom OS is not about what is in it but all about what is left out. Custom OS for appliances that only has in it what is actually necessary for that appliance

    Your mouth to Microsoft and Apple's ears. I want an OS that does nothing but run my programs and stay out of my way. I can get my own browser thanks.

    If y'all could just get Linux to run current AAA games, and some professional music & audio software, I'd never spend another nickel with Microsoft or Apple.

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    You are welcome on my lawn.
  4. Re:Duh by lucm · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You find life unbearable on a Zenbook running Windows 8.1, and you say Ubuntu Jr makes things easier? Unlikely.

    What obviously happened is that you got your panties in a bunch when you saw that metro screen and weird start button, and you couldn't be bothered to spend 5 minutes to read or watch a Windows 8.1 tutorial to learn about all the nice features. Instead you blamed Microsoft and went back to your zone of comfort.

    It's ok to prefer Linux; I use Fedora on my desktop. But you didn't even give a chance to Windows, so don't come bitching about that O/S and be a drama queen on top of it. Millions of people use Windows on a daily basis on hardware that is a lot worse than your Zenbook and they don't jump from the balcony 20 minutes after powering up their machine for the first time. It's people like you that make Linux users look like petulant idiots.

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    lucm, indeed.
  5. Re:Duh by CronoCloud · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's nice that you can replace the default Start menu, but in Linux if I don't like the defaults of KDE or Gnome, getting them how I want won't require a third party download.