A Modern Programming Operating System
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A Modern Programming Operating System
1–10 of 34 posts
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#2Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#3Instead of vanilla Python shell, I'd use IPython instead. It has all the run/save/load stuff you mention, and tons of other things to make Python nicer to use interactively. IPython also has Qt-based console, which has the ability to display rich content inline. I think the ability to interact with graphical subsystems is important, look at C64 demoscene to see what idle kids can do with even with primitive graphics system.
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#4Ipython has some support for moving around in the file system and exporting code.
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#5You could boot your machine into a LISP or Scheme repl, which in my opinion (as a ruby programmer by trade) are much nicer for kids to learn programming with than Ruby or Python because of the dynamic and interactive nature of lisp.
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#6What's wrong with learning kids Shell scripting? I think most Unix-like OS's are good for learning, behind the complex layers of abstractions lay the simple command line. Excellent for programming without any distraction.
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#7I only ran into this a couple days ago and have obviously never even conceived of checking it out, but it seems to have been purpose-built to have a modern-day equivalent of the old hackable OSes of the 80s:
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#8You could boot your machine into a LISP or Scheme repl, which in my opinion (as a ruby programmer by trade) are much nicer for kids to learn programming with than Ruby or Python because of the dynamic and interactive nature of lisp.
If you are going to take the LISP route, wouldn't booting into emacs and slime make sense?
emacs as a login shell.... I wonder if anyone actually does that :)
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#9Any modern operating system that allows open development fits the bill. I think what the OP is saying is that he would settle for having it run on top of Linux, but I'd bet that he wants the core written as (or even interpreted by) a Python interpreter, so that everything from drivers to applications could be written in Python. Wouldn't we all?
I've been wanting the same for Ruby, which I think is superior to Python in its syntax, clarity, and readability. I'd settle for a Ruby interpreter in every browser.
However, first, I'd like to see Firefox OS succeed. The idea behind it is better: take the most well-used web development language (client-side) and make it also the same language for writing applications (client-side). The only things missing are being able to write lower-level drivers using Javascript (not just having to hack atop Android) and for all of the server (not just Node) to be Javascript.
There is a reason that what is usually used to write OS's is basically C (or some variation), though. C is an intelligible and useful language that can be portable across architectures. C, Javascript, Python, Ruby, Java, etc. are all very similar when compared with assembly or machine code. C has the advantage of allowing more flexibility in memory management. So, I just don't see Python as an language used to develop an OS.
As for whether it makes sense to develop the appearance of everything being in Python so that kids can hack it up: you'd be better off introducing them to Scratch, Lego Mindstorms, the Arduino and have them participate in Science Olympiads. There is no modern equivalent of what we grew up with.
Re: A Modern Programming Operating System
#10I only ran into this a couple days ago and have obviously never even conceived of checking it out, but it seems to have been purpose-built to have a modern-day equivalent of the old hackable OSes of the 80s: http://www.sparrowos.com/
SparrowOS has bit sad background: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4992749