programming4us
programming4us
ENTERPRISE

The Ideal OS (Part 2)

3/1/2013 9:36:22 AM

Happy to help

Another feature we’d like is an OS that doesn’t require any maintenance on part of the user, and one that shuts down and boots up instantly. Current OSes can take several minutes to boot up completely, as they require the loading of several daemons, processes or services to manage the various aspects of the system. Another shortcoming of current platforms is the Cruft that grows after having used a system for a while, with leftover program files, invalid links, registry entries or unnecessary services running at boot up. This inevitably requires the (power) user to reinstall the OS almost every year. In an OS that is, at its core, a web browser, not only will leftover files not be an issue, but frequently accessed apps and websites can be cached in memory for faster access. This will mean that performance will actually increase over time as the device learns your browsing habits.

Current OSes can take several minutes to boot up completely, as they require the loading of several daemons, processes or services to manage the various aspects of the system.

Current OSes can take several minutes to boot up completely, as they require the loading of several daemons, processes or services to manage the various aspects of the system.

The task of updating the software and applications isn’t something the user will have to worry about, since it will be taken care of the server-side. But we would like to see a built in, system wide version control for all changes that a user makes. This will record even the most minute changes made to files and settings, allowing the user to roll back the changes to any previous configuration with ease. This will also erase the archaic practice of having to “save” one’s work periodically to prevent data loss, since all changes will be recorded asynchronously, similar to Google Docs. While it may sound lofty have a look at the Zetabyte File System (ZFS) on the Solaris platform. Among other features, ZFS supports automatic and incremental ‘snapshots’ which are read-only copies of the file system’s state at a point in time. It allows you to revert to a previous snapshot in case of data loss or corruption, and has a live Disk-Scrubber, which checks for and repairs corrupted blocks. Oh, and we’d also like apps to be able to share data between each other, just imagine the possibilities with that! Throw in a fair bit of AI and Siri will look like a down syndrome dodo. (Not that Siri is any Pepper Potts clone today, anyway).

the Zetabyte File System (ZFS)

The Zetabyte File System (ZFS)

Open and shut case

From a developer’s perspective, one of the most fundamental questions with software is whether it is Open Source or Closed (Pro-prietary). This single factor can go a long way in influencing developers to embrace the platform. Open Source software tends to appeal more to developers, as it gives them a lot more freedom to tinker around with the internals of the system. Closed systems don’t offer this, and the amount of freedom available is left to the OEM. However, opening up the internals of the system can pose serious threats, exposing the system to malware infections. Furthermore, giving access to system critical files to the layman can pose risks such a user may accidentally modify some part of the system, rendering it unusable. Our ideal Operating System would aim to have the flexibility of Open Source, but with the ease of use offered by a closed one. This could be implemented by means of a software ‘switch’ that would be off by default, but can be switched ‘on’ to give access to the entire system. The layperson wouldn’t ever have the need to use this switch, and it would be assumed that a developer wanting to unlock a device would be aware of the potential risks.

From a developer’s perspective, one of the most fundamental questions with software is whether it is Open Source or Closed (Pro-prietary).

From a developer’s perspective, one of the most fundamental questions with software is whether it is Open Source or Closed (Pro-prietary).

Our ideal Operating System will enable low-power, portable devices to become ubiquitous, and achieve far greater functionality than today. It will also give users a great deal of freedom and choice in the software they use, instead of tying them into one particular set of services/ devices, as open standards compliant hardware and software will replace the current wave of proprietary and restrictive protocols.

Other  
 
video
 
Video tutorials
- How To Install Windows 8

- How To Install Windows Server 2012

- How To Install Windows Server 2012 On VirtualBox

- How To Disable Windows 8 Metro UI

- How To Install Windows Store Apps From Windows 8 Classic Desktop

- How To Disable Windows Update in Windows 8

- How To Disable Windows 8 Metro UI

- How To Add Widgets To Windows 8 Lock Screen

- How to create your first Swimlane Diagram or Cross-Functional Flowchart Diagram by using Microsoft Visio 2010
programming4us programming4us
programming4us
 
 
programming4us