Collapse OS, Hacker News

Bootstrap post-collapse technology

Winter is comingand Collapse OS aims to soften the blow. It is az 80 kernel and a collection of programs, tools and documentation that allows you to assemble an OS that can:

1. Run on minimal and improvised machines.

    

2. Interface through improvised means (serial, keyboard, display).

    

3. Edit text files.

    

4. Compile assembler source files for a wide range of MCUs and CPUs.

    

5. Read and write from a wide range of storage devices.

    

6. Replicate itself.

Additionally, the goal of this project is to be as self-contained as possible. With a copy of this project, a capable and creative person should be able to manage to build and install Collapse OS without external resources (i.e. internet) on a machine of her design, built from scavenged parts with low-tech tools.

Status

The projectlives on githuband is progressing well! Highlights:

•         Self replicates: Can assemble itself from within itself, given enough         RAM and storage.     

    

•         Known to run on:         
  •                 A RC 2014 through a serial link. It can also have a PS / 2                 keyboard directly plugged in.             

              

  •                 A Sega Master System or a MegaDrive (Genesis) with video output                 and D-Pad input and / or a PS / 2 keyboard adapter.             

          

    

• Has a shell that can poke memory, I / O, call arbitrary code from memory.

    

• Can read SD cards.

    

• Has a text editor modeled after UNIX’s ed.

    

• Compact:         
  • Kernel: 2700 SLOC. binary size varies wildly. Generally around 3K.

              

  • zasm: 5K binary, 2400 SLOC, 16 K RAM usage to assemble kernel or itself.

              

  • ed: 1K binary, 500 SLOC.

          

    

•         Extremely flexible: Kernel parts are written as loosely knit modules         that are bound through glue code. This makes the kernel adaptable to         many unforseen situations.     

    

•         Built from a GNU environment with minimal tooling: only         libz 80is needed.     

    

• An excitingroadmap!

Try it out

Seedocumentationfor instructions.