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2018 Project by OSDev.org?
https://forum.osdev.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32687
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Author:  ~ [ Fri Jan 12, 2018 6:13 am ]
Post subject:  2018 Project by OSDev.org?

I see that setting a project per year for which a minimally functional implementation is achieved by the time the end of the year is reached, is a way to accelerate development, literally achieving results that would otherwise take around 10 years without concentrating efforts.

OSDev.org should mention a public domain project in which everyone here could contribute during 2018, it could be any OS-related topic, it should be a technically practical and specific thing to implement.

It's not based in obligation, it's based in setting a project, mentioning it, and just make efforts to advance as much as possible but formally during the year, taking care to shape things in a way that will result in a minimally functional project by the end of the year.

What would be the most urgent, but feasible and rewarding topic to solve at OSDev.org? Given that it's public domain, suggestions could be made, even a topic per group or person could be chosen by users, then they would just discuss what they achieve, so we would have most OS pieces ready by the end of the year if we work like this, also, based in using and improving the resources like the Wiki, but taking everything to a final implementation by the end of the year that can be educative.

At least for me, for this year 2018 I will work on implementing a public domain C compiler capable of producing output for any C code, at least for x86 and with minimal functionality by the end of the year.

And so on, what project would you like to work on in 2018?

Author:  glauxosdever [ Fri Jan 12, 2018 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

Hi,


I'm working on a hardware platform (CPU + peripherals). Since it's just my first attempt (hence the name Attempt-1), I don't plan on making it physical (unless I get a FPGA). I however would like to implement an emulator, an assembler, and some sample software that can run on it (thinking of a simple HTTP server that serves static HTML pages from ROM, although I might do an OS instead if I manage to design interrupts well*). These are mostly the plans for 2018, unless I find the time to move to Attempt-2 before 2019 comes. :-)

*What troubles me with interrupts is that I need an elegant way to switch stacks upon an interrupt while the CPU is in user mode and has to switch to system/supervisor mode because of this interrupt. The truth however is that I didn't manage to get to ring 3 while I was writing an OS for x86 (got interested in language/compiler design instead, while studying for finals too), so it's a bit harder for me to think about this for my own arch (although I wouldn't probably replicate the mess x86 has became).


Regards,
glauxosdever

Author:  ~ [ Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

Don't you think that you could get a much better implemented system if you did only one of those things per year?

For example, you could do the following things, each during a year to complete them usefully:

- Work on your actual hardware platform.
- USB detection/usage.
- Disk detection (including using the identification data).
- File system access.
- Multitasking (including ring 0/ring 3 switches).
- Handling real network drivers, native or made by you.
- Networking.
- Web server.
- Implement emulator (will also help in making the assembler, they are very similar).
- Implement assembler.
- Implementing a compiler for an useful/interesting language for you (or for the language you have used for your code so far, you decide).

Those are 11 years, but at least, year after year you will end up with rock-solid components for your OS, they will be well-investigated, very developed. It would be incomparably more than what I've managed to implement from 2004 (13 years), so I will also need to spend that much time from now on to achieve that sort of good goals.

Those could probably be a boiler plate set of sample goals given that they are common across OS developers to choose from them.

It would probably speed everything up a lot to pick one task like the ones above for this year at the OSDev.org level, there could be several ones picked by different individuals, even if we talk about enthusiastic newbies, they will be capable of developing good things if they concentrate solely in a topic per year as individuals and then as sub-groups/sub-teams.

Author:  Kazinsal [ Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

It is amazing that you haven't been banned from these forums for consistently offering up such horrendously malicious advice.

Author:  Schol-R-LEA [ Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

Kazinsal wrote:
It is amazing that you haven't been banned from these forums for consistently offering up such horrendously malicious advice.


I dunno, I think it's just precious that he thinks he can trick us into doing his project for him like this. Like a child's clumsy first steps on the road to a Ponzi scheme conviction.

Author:  ~ [ Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

I think that the Wiki and material from OSDever.net could be used as a more complete list of yearly goals, a topic per year. Also, the list of subsystems, tricks and features from existing OSes and applications.

I just say that I see how things work better when cooperating in such an easy and self-paced way. I see how a project like OSDev.org would greatly benefit and achieve its reason of existing with great success if they specifically had projects to implement per year, although obviously the work of the Wiki can be used for others of us users to contribute the sort of things that I'm saying.

It's a public domain effort so if somebody doesn't want it, they will just ignore it.

I'm eager to spend any number of years for publishing each topic as a formal public domain component per year. This year I will yield a public domain C compiler, so no matter how inexperienced I may be, I'm already a backup for OSDev or other sites, for interested users. At least something will be produced.

In 2015 I yielded a project named Text Recorder, a simple HTML5 program to keep track of important sequences like complex source code so that you and others can see it again how it was written:
http://www.archefire.org/Text_Recorder/

But again, now I see that the Wiki is a more than good list of projects per year to work on as an individual. Even if it takes a decade or two, public domain OS resources would become available and would be high quality. I will wait interested users around here as always.

Author:  Octacone [ Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

"~" there is a massive flaw in your plan.
Humans aren't freaking immortal! Why would I want to spend 11 years of my life working on an operating system. (and not even finish it)
I just can't imagine myself working on an USB driver for a whole year! That would get super boring super quickly.
Your idea just isn't good. You just wouldn't be able to catch up, technology is progressing way too fast.

Author:  ~ [ Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

If you feel that USB is too boring for you for 1 whole year, at least for the current one, you could pick any other topic, even graphics file formats and graphics algorithms (bitmaps, compression, vector, video...). Pick a specific file format, compression or graphics algorithm for that year, and you will have something.

For example, for GIF, I've seen that it could otherwise take 2 years of wondering how it works, but I've implemented an HTML5 program that can render almost any GIF (only some old ones with bugs/features I don't understand yet), but can help you master GIFs in a shorter time, also download GIF87a/GIF89a standards, Dr. Dobb's articles, etc., and the newest GIFV from imgur that I haven't studied, but GIF87/89a can be unified in the handling code:
http://www.archefire.org/GIF_Explainer/ (main project)
http://devel.archefire.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=22
http://devel.archefire.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=9

I'm not sure you wouldn't finish it, just make a numbered list of the hardest topics in an OS, and if you dedicate 1 year for completing each in a logical order, as you feel and see that you are advancing and can/want do each because you feel it's entertaining for that year, you will be able to have something. Only by reaching the point where you could use official device drivers for any OS from your OS in 1 year, and 1 year for running any applications, third party and own, you would be on your way of having a capable OS, at least in 1 or 2 decades, unlike doing things without structure nor sufficient concentration/enthusiasm and then achieving 10 times less or so in the same time.

There will always be small tasks to be done and smaller goals in a year, so you will always have something to contribute.

If you explain the things you do in detail in a year, there will always be people willing to help, public domain or open-source in general, starting with enthusiast people who really don't care about licensing, just doing what they can for learning to do interesting stuff. At least I help and leave some contribution whenever I fully understand something so that everyone benefits and accelerate their efforts.

Author:  iansjack [ Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

To me, OS development - and programming in general - is a hobby to be enjoyed. It's not a list of tasks or objectives which would spoil the fun. If something new takes my fancy then I play with it rather than sticking to some annual objectives.

Author:  ~ [ Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

At least I not only have a yearly project more and more often, I also have work cycles totally apart from the yearly project. I control them with natural clocks such as nails growing/cutting them, hair, weight, cleaning the blood by carefully drinking enough to urinate my blood volume each day to get enough blood along with niacin/vitamin B3, oral rehydration salts too keep up my energy (not too much, only enough to drink more liquids) to improve my health. I set goals that make I find funny, interesting, necessary, and reaching the end of the work cycle can take around 6 weeks or much more depending on what I use as a clock (nails are fast, using the circulatory system and a process to stop being overweight might take much much longer), but I always achieve things even if I don't notice during the cycle, when I write down what I've achieved every time I do so and at the end of the cycle. But I also keep some sort of structure or clock to work. By using the natural clocks of my body I feel that I can achieve more because I do everything according to the growing/regenerating speed of my body's metabolism, so learning and developing stuff becomes part of my vital functions, and is as funny as always, only easier.

Author:  iansjack [ Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 2018 Project by OSDev.org?

Whatever suits you. The very last thing I would want to do would be to persuade you to follow my working style.

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