Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Fri, 24 May 2013 16:57:44 +0000
From:      "Welcome, Traiano" <welcomet@amazon.com>
To:        "Julian H. Stacey" <jhs@berklix.com>
Cc:        "freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org" <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>
Subject:   RE: Writing a (BSD like) Operating Systems From Scratch 
Message-ID:  <8F56C8EF8265DF489B64A19B10910AC7025DF4B3@ex10-mbx-14001.ant.amazon.com>
In-Reply-To: <201305241340.r4ODcju4009740@fire.js.berklix.net>
References:  Your message "Fri, 24 May 2013 10:15:23 -0000." <8F56C8EF8265DF489B64A19B10910AC7025C53B2@ex10-mbx-14001.ant.amazon.com> <201305241340.r4ODcju4009740@fire.js.berklix.net>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Hi Julian

 Thanks, any response is appreciated, here's mine:


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org [mailto:owner-freebsd-
> hackers@freebsd.org] On Behalf Of Julian H. Stacey
> Sent: 24 May 2013 15:39
> To: Welcome, Traiano
> Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: Writing a (BSD like) Operating Systems From Scratch
>=20
> "Welcome, Traiano" wrote:
> > Hi All
> > I've been read thousands of pages of FreeBSD and Linux Kernel source
> code and books on the internals of BSD and Linux over the years in attemp=
t
> to develop a complete understanding of operating systems (or at least, UN=
IX
> like ones). However, I feel that I'm as mystified as to the finer details=
 as
> when I first started. So I've concluded that the best way to really under=
stand
> the deep dark details of UNIX is to try and write one from scratch (using=
 the
> general guidelines of standards like POSIX etc ...), and maybe taking a p=
eek at
> BSD and Linux from time to time. My questions around this are:
>=20
> Sorry, but your questions & text (see mega line above, no folds ! Ugh) te=
ll me
>=20
> 	A) You dont know enough, & would be better working with an
> existing
> 	   project, be it a BSD Linux Minix Sprite Mach whatever. Maybe
> 	   also doing some formal training in OSs eg a Uni. degree
> 	   in computing or whatever.


Right on the mark, Julian! The don't know enough part especially, hence the=
 _questions_ (Normally asked by people who don't know enough).
May I ask where you get the divine wisdom to know  where I "would be better=
 working with" ? don't you think that would be best left up to me?
So what if formal training in OSes is not an option to me ? Not all of us h=
ave the wealth and time, nor privilege of coming from a family that can=20
afford such an education, like myself for example. What do you recommend fo=
r those of us who have neither the wealth nor luxury of time to pursue
" a Uni. degree  in computing or whatever." ?

You appear not to realize that to even begin working with one of the existi=
ng projects, you'd best have a solid understanding of OSes to begin with,=20
which brings up an interesting catch -22 that goes something like:

 "You can't join the club, because you don't know enough. You can't know en=
ough 'till you join our club".=20

Is that the case or am I mistaken ?

>=20
> 	B) You havent realised technology is moving faster & with ever more
> 	   more people working on OSs & tools, its like looking in
> 	   from the edge of an exploding galaxy & trying to understand
> 	   all within: by the time you do, its grown !
>=20

May I ask how you jumped to that conclusion? What makes you think I want to=
 keep at the cutting edge of everything?=20
All I want to begin at the very basis and build up from there at my own pac=
e, until I'm capable of building something very=20
Basic, functional and something I can use to illustrate to myself the desig=
n principles involved in building operating systems.


> 	C) If people devoted tons of time over years to help you along,
> 	   it would be their & your time wasted to achieve anothernice
> 	   OS time that would be better spent if you & they worked
> 	   together on improving an existing OS - see (A) above.


Where did you get the idea that I'm asking for tons of time over years ? Ha=
ve you a record of me going around the internet pestering people for answer=
s on how to build operating systems? All I asked for was a couple of links =
and pointers, maybe a good book or two.  Besides, I'd be of no using helpin=
g to build spacecraft if I can barely build a cart, so no, my time would no=
t be better spent helping people who really have a clue to improve existing=
 OSes.


> Sorry it's not what you want to hear but modern OS are too big for
> 1 man, & evolving too fast, even those called Jollitz Tannenbaum or Linus=
, got
> replaced/ supplemented by Teams. Choose a project team & an aspect/
> technology within the team, & that will be useful not a waste of time.

I don't accept the conjecture that modern OSes are too big for one man. Mod=
ern OSes and their associated entourage of userpace and plugin modules mayb=
e, but not the basic kernel/supervisor program. An OS is as big or small as=
 you make it. I would like to eat this particular elephant one bite at a ti=
me.=20

> 	Some OS's http://berklix.com/free/
>=20


Thanks, nice link :-)


> Cheers,
> Julian
> --
> Julian Stacey, BSD Unix Linux C Sys Eng Consultant, Munich
> http://berklix.com  Reply below not above, like a play script.  Indent ol=
d text
> with "> ".
>  Send plain text.  No quoted-printable, HTML, base64, multipart/alternati=
ve.
> _______________________________________________
> freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org mailing list
> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-hackers
> To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-hackers-
> unsubscribe@freebsd.org"



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?8F56C8EF8265DF489B64A19B10910AC7025DF4B3>