Python/Minix based operating system

The goal is to build an OS with the following characteristics :

• Availability and reliability
• Low resource consumption
• Portability and embedded computing
• Open-source ( MIT )
• Easy learning and maintenance

• Operating Systems: Design And Implementation 3rd Edition by Andrew Tanenbaum
• git://git.minix3.org/minix # minix3 src, the basis for the development of Pythonix
• http://legacy.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/ # Style-Guide Python
• http://wiki.osdev.org/Main_Page # wiki for helping in OS development
• docs/TRANSLATION-GUIDE # Guide for C/Python translation

Forum or E-mail

1. Translate /kernel to Python3 without SMP # Started
   1.2. Sys_calls, kernel dependencies
   1.1. Initially *.c files (clock, interrupt, ipc, vm, system, main, proc) # In Progress
   1.2. Search for dependencies and solve TODO to run *.py files # Waiting
   1.3. Make units test, and make kernel run without panic # Waiting
   
2. Translate /drivers to Python3
3. Translate /sys and start to make FS, and other basic stuff
4. Make applications, cat, echo , pwd, rm, ls, and others
5. Network and extra drivers
6. Package Manager
7. SMP suppport

Q: How is possible to boot a Python O.S ?

A: Actually, isn't possible. All the kernel, user-space, and applications will be made in Python, but the bootloader and the lowest level will run over another future project in Clang with a implementation of PyPy with a JIT compiler, which makes the system viable. See Pythonix Overview for details.

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Q: Why develop based on Minix and not on Linux or BSD for example?

A: Linux already has a highly developed kernel and code base very large, and yet can not be a system with fully modular architecture due to its monolithic nature, because Minix microkernel nature it's allows ease functions to modularize the system , thereby improving the portability and kernel security , besides being a project with reduced code base .

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Q: Why Python is a good choice to write an OS ?

A: Because it is a specification that is implemented in several languages, has high portability (eg: IronPython , Jython ). In addition to being interpreted this eliminates situations like the kernel compile, moreover, PyPy implementation with JIT compilation proved be a reliable choice.

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Q: A kernel will be slow in a interpreted language ?

A: Not necessarily , it depends on the implementation and internal optimizations made targeting performance , the Python implementation done in Python ( PyPy ) , proved achieve a superior performance over the original implementation written in C, and in some cases, even faster than C! As seen in: PyPy Or PyPy > C Or PyPy > C (yes,again)

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Q: Why Python 3.x ?

A: Python 2.7 is only justifiable when a project has some lib legacy or some resource that will be lost if the project is porteda to a more recent version. In the case of developing an operating system from scratch , literally speaking , it is good practice to always try to use the newest version of Python, and where necessary implement own extensions

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Q: Why not use ctypes to write functions more accurately to original?

A: The purpose of writing the OS in Python, and enables the ease of maintenance is to avoid as much use any kind of dependencies and libraries to non-essential to Python, allowing a clean and easy to understand code.

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Q: Why not just quit?

A: Because great guys already show some support, so the idea worth it