Linux Format forums

donoreo · Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject: MikeOS 1.0 Released!

I am sure Mike would not post this himself. I saw it on OSNews and here is a link to the site: http://mikeos.berlios.de
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M-Saunders · Moderator Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:14 pm Posts: 2881

Why thankyou Smile

For anyone interest, the biggest feature of this release is the Handbook, a complete guide to running, building and developing the OS. There's also a section on writing your own OS, with primers on the PC boot procedure and x86 assembly language:

http://mikeos.berlios.de/handbook.html

Mike

kilikopele · LXF regular Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:35 pm Posts: 298

I think this is an awesome feat. I'm going to crack open a beer in your honor. Maybe several.

Before that, I have question nagging at me and I can't wait to read the handbook to get to the answer: What was your rubric for the 1.0 release? Did you have a defined list of features going in that made you say, "I'll consider this my benchmark." Or did the rubric for 1.0 evolve as the project moved along?

Seriously, though, congrats on your 1.0 release.

Edit: I just realized I posted this one in the Announcements instead of the OtherOS. Whether you reply here or move me or ignore me is all up to you.

Dutch_Master · LXF regular Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:49 am Posts: 2354

M-Saunders · Moderator Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:14 pm Posts: 2881

Cheers kilikopele, beerage is good! I started writing MikeOS as an experiment, playing around with x86 assembly and a small bootloader. After that I had some design ideas for loading programs and system calls, so I went ahead to satisfy my curiosity. A 16-bit real-mode OS is pretty archaic today -- I didn't have any major plans for it or list of must-have features.

However, a few months ago I was browsing the OSDev.org forums and someone recommended MikeOS 0.40 as a tool for learning basic OS design. At the time I was working on a GUI for MikeOS, but the code was getting overly complex so I ditched it. So I decided to set a goal for 1.0: make it a (hopefully!) useful mini OS for first-time OS developers and those learning x86 assembly, with complete documentation from start to finish.

So I tided up and re-commented a lot of the code, simplified the build scripts and wrote the mammoth handbook which should serve as a one-stop-shop for all things MikeOS.

I've already had some third-party input (someone has sent me an OS X build script), and I'll release 1.1 if I add new system calls or features. As for 2.0... well, maybe the old GUI code can be resurrected at some point Smile

Mike

kilikopele · LXF regular Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:35 pm Posts: 298

Nice. I gave it a go via Qemu the other day. Vlak is surprisingly addicting. Smile

I've been meaning to go through the coding and the handbook, but work dictates that wait until around November when things slow down for me. Sad

Rhakios · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:20 pm Post subject: RE: Re: RE: MikeOS 1.0 Released!

So, you could find the time to get addicted to the game, but couldn't get around to reading the docs? Hmm, a sense of priorities that seems all too familiar Wink

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kilikopele · LXF regular Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:35 pm Posts: 298

Ouch. I resemble that remark. Smile

However, stick with me here because this makes a little sense. (Albeit, very little.) When I go through it, I really want to digest its contents and not give it just a cursory glance. To do that, I need some uninterrupted time--like when my son is in swimming and gymnastics and it's too damn cold to sit on my deck with a bourbon and a cigar. (Oh, and I do print marketing for real estate which really drops off in the "holiday" season, so I won't be putting in astronomical hours either.)

Rhakios · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:23 am Post subject: RE: Re: RE: MikeOS 1.0 Released!

Oh, I'm very familiar with the "rational argument" for avoiding the difficult stuff, too. Smile

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M-Saunders · Moderator Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:14 pm Posts: 2881

kilikopele: cheers, it'd be good to hear any feedback you have on the Handbook!

Rhakios: did you give it a try? Does it work OK in VMware?

Mike

Rhakios · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject: RE: Re: RE: MikeOS 1.0 Released!

Yes, I even posted a small message to that effect in the sourceforge forum. As I mentioned there, for some reason GFXDEMO caused a lock-up the first time I ran 1.0, but not on any subsequent runs. All the other apps run just fine, except for Vlak quitting, which you already know about.
The html docs are nice and clearly laid out too. If only I understood them Smile

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M-Saunders · Moderator Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:14 pm Posts: 2881

Ah, just spotted that, thanks. Very strange glitch with VMware -- it must get confused when a program requests such an archaic video mode as 320x200 Smile

Stay tuned for MikeOS 1.1, with contributed system calls and OS X build scripts. Over 1,000 downloads this month so far...

M

Rhakios · Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:13 pm Post subject: RE: Re: RE: MikeOS 1.0 Released!

I'm all agog with aniticpation Wink

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JS · LXF regular Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:27 am Posts: 116

I'd like to add my appreciation for MikeOS! I've tried it in qemu too.

I've haven't got round to digesting the handbook (and source code!) yet, but I have been thinking about learning x86 assembly language for a while, so that I can better understand the x86 architecture, so MikeOS will be a useful resource. The last assembly language programming I did was on a 6502 (BBC Master)...

Thanks Mike!