From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.4 required=5.0 tests=AC_FROM_MANY_DOTS,BAYES_00 autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,85034d1ac78a66eb X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2002-03-16 18:16:03 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.icl.net!newsfeed.wirehub.nl!news-hub.cableinet.net!blueyonder!psiuk-p2!psiuk-p3!uknet!psiuk-n!news.pace.co.uk!nh.pace.co.uk!not-for-mail From: "Marin David Condic" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Ada Operating System Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 11:52:24 -0500 Organization: Posted on a server owned by Pace Micro Technology plc Message-ID: References: <3c77b476.322111671@news.cis.dfn.de> <3C88E0D1.89161C16@despammed.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: dhcp-200-133.miami.pace.co.uk X-Trace: nh.pace.co.uk 1016297545 15720 136.170.200.133 (16 Mar 2002 16:52:25 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@news.cam.pace.co.uk NNTP-Posting-Date: 16 Mar 2002 16:52:25 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:21350 Date: 2002-03-16T16:52:25+00:00 List-Id: "James Ross" wrote in message news:jgo59u49ro74pbfvoek6ruqqa5o790mq90@4ax.com... > > I.e. doing it the "Ada way". Not that I disagree, but I am > re-learning Ada at this point and I don't quite think in Ada yet per > say :) Therefore, I question what specifically is there about Ada that > would make the _design_ of an OS better than one that was written in > say C++? (other than the inherent quality / bugs issues) > Ada is Object Oriented - make the OS services look like the Ada OO model. Ada has tasking - make the OS tasking look just like Ada. Ada has protected types - make the OS provide services that look like it. Ada has generics - make OS services generic where possible. Ada supports strong typing - make the OS utilize strong typing. (Don't make everything in it just be raw bytes & words.) Ada supports runtime checking - make the OS do the same. I'm sure with some thought a bunch of similar suggestions could be developed. Look at the system services in your typical Unix implementation and notice how much they tend to look "C-ish". The idea would be to build an OS that looked "Ada-ish". That would be a *real* difference and make programming for the OS lean towards Ada. > > Something's better (or of my pet issues with current OS's): > - Very easy to use / configure / maintain. (Windows is getting > there with a way to go yet, Linux is still a plague) > - More interoperability of applications facilitated by the OS (other > than just _Office_) > - Install of anything should be a painless 1 or 2 click activity > - Uninstall should leave nothing behind (nor side effects) > - Impossible to break by accident, and very difficult to do so on > purpose. > - Built in, native (very fast) SQL data base like file system > - Total separation of Data from Applications. > - Built in real-time functionality > - Very High security > - Built in Programming / Debugging Tools > JR There you go. Here's a bunch of ideas that might start addressing a need out there that is not being filled well by other OS's. I'd still suggest that the initial goal should be to get something minimal built that works & start adding higher level ideas like these at a later point. Make sure the underlying kernel provides the support needed to do spiffy things like this, but concentrate on getting a new & unique kernel up and running. (If you want things like easy installation, realtime functionality, security, etc., you clearly need to consider that when designing the kernel & device driver model, but try to stay "basic" and keep the rest in your back pocket to pull out later.) MDC -- Marin David Condic Senior Software Engineer Pace Micro Technology Americas www.pacemicro.com Enabling the digital revolution e-Mail: marin.condic@pacemicro.com