SerenityOS – a graphical Unix-like OS for x86, with 90s aesthetics

Post by dbancajas » Thu, May 23, 2019, 2:37 PM UTC

akling wrote: post #13

Hello friends, author here! Fun to see my project on HN again. If you would like to see the system in action, I did a demo video in March[1] and one in April[2]. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about the system. I’m not an expert on operating systems, but I can be pretty productive :) [1] https://youtu.be/hE52D-zbX3g [2] https://youtu.be/RBr5If8GrM4

Post by [deleted] » Thu, May 23, 2019, 2:40 PM UTC

Crinus wrote: post #101

humanrebar wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fair, but I was replying to this being a good example of modern C++. It's atypical that implementing your own vector and string is even a good idea, let alone exemplary.

On the contrary, the standard vector and string classes are garbage UX-wise (e.g. unlike pretty much every other single dynamic array implementation in existence, vector does not have something like an "index of element" method and instead you are supposed to use std::find and subtract iterators with a special check for when the element wasn't found... like, WTF).

Post by jessaustin » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:04 PM UTC

davidw wrote: post #9

Sendotsh wrote: post #6

I love the idea of a modern OS with the 90s function-over-form aesthetic. There’s immense beauty for me in function, and the 90s was without a doubt the peak of OS design.

> and the 90s was without a doubt the peak of OS design. reply Also, and surely not at all correlated with my youth, it was the peak of good music.

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:10 PM UTC

TurkTurkleton wrote: post #141

AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Simplicity and function over form. 90s buttons looked like buttons, for instance. And theming was a simple matter of changing your fonts and colors. Windows 95 didn't need a special 'dark mode' supported by the OS, because you just changed your colors in the GUI tool for changing colors and fonts and you were done. Modern GUIs are ridiculous and stupid and overcomplicated. Much like most of modern computing.

> Windows 95 didn't need a special 'dark mode' supported by the OS, because you just changed your colors in the GUI tool for changing colors and fonts and you were done. You're over-romanticizing the past. There were plenty of apps even in the Windows 95 era that drew their own widgets and only half-respected the colors you set in the control panel, and that consequently looked like pureed ass if you changed the colo…

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet » Thu, May 23, 2019, 3:17 PM UTC

asark wrote: post #12

seanvk wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

BeOS is another one that comes to mind.

That BeOS didn't become a serious, long-term contender in the desktop OS market is a sure sign we're not living in the best of all possible worlds.