Ahh this OS is small enough that a university professor used it as the basis for his class assignments: write a device driver for it, or a pipe implementation, if I recall correctly. I thought it was pretty genius at the time, and it was certainly quite a challenge for the students too.
Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
41–50 of 151 posts
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Nowadays even iOS will randomly change its UI You and I have very different ideas of “random” I think.
Why with Tahoe did they get rid of the volume indicator that popped up middle of screen that they’ve had for 20+ years - a critical indicator that the volume controls are even working in the first place - in favor of a tiny set of bars at the top right of my screen in the menu bar where I can barely make them out? It’s also less precise about my volume level now. Why ? That sure seemed random. It sure isn’t functiona…
Because before you many users complained "IT TAKES UP THE WHOLE SCREEN!!!!" and it was a bit annoying to be honest when it obscures a video or something else you're trying to view.
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#43This is very very cool, and unlike a lot of other "hobby" OSes actually looks usable as a daily driver if your needs are basic (kids, elderly, older/cheaper hardware, etc). While for nerds computers have become these monstrously powerful things that can do everything under the sun, there's definitely still plenty of people who just want a computer to write down notes, keep a calendar, use the calculator... eg the thi…
What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad. Everyone from 4 year olds to my 77 year old computer illiterate Dad can figure it out. This doesn't look very usable at all by someone who isn't basically a computer nerd.
> What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad.
iPad was my gateway drug into Apple when I got it as a gift for my aunt and saw how easy and intuitive it was to use, and also to develop for.
Then after Jobs' whip fell from his cold hands they went into the realm of "mystery meat" menus and arcane gestures where swiping from seemingly every different angle of the screen edge does something different. Swipe from the top-right corner to get the Control Center, but swipe from the center-top to see the Notifications?? Yeah not gonna bother training an elder on that. I can't dare get my mom a modern iPhone now where she has to swipe up to unlock: it has be an iPhone SE, the last iPhones with a Home button.
I am the filthiest of nerds but I still can't get myself to remember how the heck iPad multitasking works. Apparently they can't either, they changed it again in 26 and now I can't easily get Notes etc. by swiping in from the side when watching a video etc. and I haven't bothered to look up how to do that now.
In any case all this only shows that attempting a one-size-fits-all UI can't really go all the way. iPhones/iPad have had a respectable run, they were lucky to have an OS Usability tyrant in charge, but maybe it's time to accept that UIs need an option for Simple vs Expert or something.
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#44Amazing! I find it extremely fascinating that somebody is able to create entire operating system. Not a easy task!
You will be blown away by Serenity OS then.
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#45I took an OS in college in 2006 and the big project that my prof required us to do was to make modification of visopsys. The software was primitive at that time but still had UI interface.
I emailed the author to ask some questions in my project. The author had connection with my prof and informed my prof about this. My prof told me that I was not allowed to ask the author regarding this project. So I had to figured out on my own.
It was fun to play around with and learnt how things work at deep OS level. It was a good memory for me :)
And you guys notice anything about my username? :)
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#46It’s amazing how one person kept this project alive since 1997, that’s real passion and love for coding!
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#47Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#48Naive question: would using such an OS bring some security by obscurity ?
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#49> PC compatible computers
That takes me back.
Re: Visopsys: OS maintained by a single developer since 1997
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad. Everyone from 4 year olds to my 77 year old computer illiterate Dad can figure it out. This doesn't look very usable at all by someone who isn't basically a computer nerd.
> What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad. iPad was my gateway drug into Apple when I got it as a gift for my aunt and saw how easy and intuitive it was to use, and also to develop for. Then after Jobs' whip fell from his cold hands they went into the realm of "mystery meat" menus and arcane gestures where swiping from seemingly every different angle of the screen edge does something different. Swipe from…
They removed the side thing in 26 and are bringing it back in 26.1.
There’s a complete lack of project leadership and it’s strangely worrying.