"An Operating System can be defined as any system which allows for self-development."
What this means is that any system that allows you to enhance itself is an operating system. So it would probably include a kernel, text-editor, and compiler. Anything else is an application.
(I'm not quite sure right now were I saw that definition at, I think it was in the linux Assembly Programming howto (part of the LDP project). Anyways, I don't claim credit for that or anything.)
Your right, this secrecy thing is starting to get kind of annoying. But you are wrong about what they are *really* doing.
Back in the 40's, at Roswell, New Mexico, an alien spacecraft crashed during a storm. The reason was that their flight control computer crashed when "Mega-Shift Galactic Traveler" (hmmm...) crashed into a green screen of death. So, anyways, the military finds them and brings them to a base and... ooops... I can't talk about it. To make a long, twisted, secret story short, the aliens just said "wait".
50 years later, in the 1990's, the aliens come back to life as executives at a startup chip designing firm, which, for the sake of taste, will remain nameless. They say they want a new computer system that will run anything without crashing, so they enlist the help of the planet's best computer programmer, who will also remain nameless. Unfortunately, according to their plans, they attract alot of attention because of the programmer they hired. Quoted from a private interview, one of the aliens stated, "We want a chip because the earth is despicable and we want out." Other than this, they were unavailable for comment.
They had to give the press something, so they gave them the plans for their original computer that left them stranded here.
They eventually design and manufacture their chip, which becomes a big hit in the portable computer market, though it left people wondering why. "Wasn't this supposed to be powerfull?" they all said. What they didn't know is that it was designed to be portable so they could bring it back to their mother ship without needing a big space-semi. They also didn't know that it received the majority of it's design inspiration from the 4004. Yes, that's right, the 4004.
It looks like the aliens are in for a long stay. (That's kind of a "trans-mental" story, don't you say?)
I'm not much of a kernel developer myself, but this is my understanding of the pace of development (from interviews, linux journal, etc.):
Linus seems to say that the reason 2.2 development slowed down was because of all the new attention linux was getting--new developers and all. He wanted to 'play it safe' while in the spotlight so no mess ups would ruin linux. (love the media, huh?)
But now that linux has decent SMP, RAID, etc. it's relatively safe to 'go breakneck' with the development.
Besides, linux will run on Crusoe under the x86 emulation if not in it's native tongue.
First of all, the point is not to *replace* palmOS. The reason to port Linux to the palmtop is the same as the reason it's being ported to the mac, alpha, etc...
Linux is a cool OS and it's cool to see what you can make it run on. If linux on the palmtop ever actually becomes usefull, it will probably be what I use if/when I get a palmtop. It would be a good development for everyone.
I don't think anyone will be saying 'you have to use linux!', I think it will just allow users more freedom of choice.
P.S. They will probably come up with a new UI which doesn't involve typing or X. Which would also be good--more freedom of choice. I say go for it, and then port the UI back to the desktop and see what happens.
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I agree with you in this. Why moderators, why?
I've seen this definition around:
"An Operating System can be defined as any system which allows for self-development."
What this means is that any system that allows you to enhance itself is an operating system. So it would probably include a kernel, text-editor, and compiler. Anything else is an application.
(I'm not quite sure right now were I saw that definition at, I think it was in the linux Assembly Programming howto (part of the LDP project). Anyways, I don't claim credit for that or anything.)
In a way, LILO starts up another program: the operating system kernel.
/etc/lilo.conf so it contains the list of programs you would want to run.
I guess one could edit
Of course, you would have to reboot every time you wanted to start another program, unless that program was a shell.
Caveat: each program would need to implement a basic "kernel" so it could run. No pretty job for programmers.
"Operating System" is a subjective term, even though it is a fundamental part of computer science, as other posters have mentioned.
Basically, the operationg system is what you get, after having installed from CD, etc., and deleting what you don't want, what you keep.
For example, if someone were to install linux and then get rid of everything but the essentials (the OS "proper") and emacs, that would be their OS.
Subjective, ridiculous, I know. But that's the way it is outside of deep hack mode.
Your right, this secrecy thing is starting to get kind of annoying. But you are wrong about what they are *really* doing.
Back in the 40's, at Roswell, New Mexico, an alien spacecraft crashed during a storm. The reason was that their flight control computer crashed when "Mega-Shift Galactic Traveler" (hmmm...) crashed into a green screen of death. So, anyways, the military finds them and brings them to a base and... ooops... I can't talk about it. To make a long, twisted, secret story short, the aliens just said "wait".
50 years later, in the 1990's, the aliens come back to life as executives at a startup chip designing firm, which, for the sake of taste, will remain nameless. They say they want a new computer system that will run anything without crashing, so they enlist the help of the planet's best computer programmer, who will also remain nameless. Unfortunately, according to their plans, they attract alot of attention because of the programmer they hired. Quoted from a private interview, one of the aliens stated, "We want a chip because the earth is despicable and we want out." Other than this, they were unavailable for comment.
They had to give the press something, so they gave them the plans for their original computer that left them stranded here.
They eventually design and manufacture their chip, which becomes a big hit in the portable computer market, though it left people wondering why. "Wasn't this supposed to be powerfull?" they all said. What they didn't know is that it was designed to be portable so they could bring it back to their mother ship without needing a big space-semi. They also didn't know that it received the majority of it's design inspiration from the 4004. Yes, that's right, the 4004.
It looks like the aliens are in for a long stay.
(That's kind of a "trans-mental" story, don't you say?)
I'm not much of a kernel developer myself, but this is my understanding of the pace of development (from interviews, linux journal, etc.):
Linus seems to say that the reason 2.2 development slowed down was because of all the new attention linux was getting--new developers and all. He wanted to 'play it safe' while in the spotlight so no mess ups would ruin linux. (love the media, huh?)
But now that linux has decent SMP, RAID, etc. it's relatively safe to 'go breakneck' with the development.
Besides, linux will run on Crusoe under the x86 emulation if not in it's native tongue.
First of all, the point is not to *replace* palmOS. The reason to port Linux to the palmtop is the same as the reason it's being ported to the mac, alpha, etc...
Linux is a cool OS and it's cool to see what you can make it run on. If linux on the palmtop ever actually becomes usefull, it will probably be what I use if/when I get a palmtop. It would be a good development for everyone.
I don't think anyone will be saying 'you have to use linux!', I think it will just allow users more freedom of choice.
P.S. They will probably come up with a new UI which doesn't involve typing or X. Which would also be good--more freedom of choice. I say go for it, and then port the UI back to the desktop and see what happens.