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Node-OS: The first operating system powered by node.js and npm

24 points by borski 8y ago

tyingq 8y ago
There's probably some interesting stuff in here, but "operating system powered by node.js" is a little strong. They also say things like "NodeOS is an operating system built entirely in Javascript", which isn't true at all. They basically replaced bash and some of the gnu utils with node.js scripts. The OS itself is just Linux.
- nineteen999 8y ago
  > but "operating system powered by node.js" is a little strong Strong? It's like saying that a car is powered by its chassis.
- danmg 8y ago
  > ln -s /bin/sh /usr/bin/node job done. made an operating system!
- kanox 8y ago
  Linux is just a kernel, the proper terminology is Node/Linux.
  - tyingq 8y ago
    It offers a pretty limited list of user space utilities: http://node-os.com/docs/Commands.html http://node-os.com/docs/Commands.html It does seem interesting, just noting that their rhetoric might be a bit off base.
swingline-747 8y ago
Is this Atwood's law Gravity Probe B?
meuhji 8y ago
pfff, Seriously?!? What are the main "features"? 90% of the HDD reserved for the node-modules dir ? :o)
meehow 8y ago
I think I will stick to my Bash-OS.
exog 8y ago
Has society gone too far now?
integricho 8y ago
Oh my God
felipeccastro 8y ago
I find the idea intriguing, but it's not clear to me from reading the site what is it for. What cool things one can do with this Node-OS that wouldn't be possible/easy with another Linux? Also, what's the story for GUI applications? npm is mostly used for libraries, not full apps, so I'm not sure why that was a good pick for an OS. I guess it would be nice if there was a web view as the default GUI mechanism, so one could use web apps as if they were native without having to resort to things like Electron.
lachlan-sneff 8y ago
It's an interesting idea, but as far as I can tell, it doesn't take advantage of the fact that all usermode code is sandboxed. You could potentially run everything in supervisor mode/ring 0 and remove a lot of the systemcall overhead.
- earenndil 8y ago
  As predicted by gary bernhardt[1]. FWIW, I don't think doing that will be a net win. I/O-bound applications might run slightly faster (I think gary bernhardt's number was 5%), but in exchange they'll take quite a bit more system resources, which mean increased power use and reduced lifespan. 1: https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death-of-javascript https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death...
  - lachlan-sneff 8y ago
    Could you explain what you mean by saying that they'll take more system resources?
    - earenndil 8y ago
      More ram, cpu usage, etc. So, imagine you have a given task. One option is it takes 60ms to execute and during that time it takes 50% cpu. Or, it takes 50ms to execute but takes 80% cpu. The second one takes less wallclock time but more cpu time.
fb03 8y ago
This is basically Node slapped on top of a Linux kernel. I would find it way more interesting (to say, way more actually a 'Node OS') if they implemented a really lightweight kernel to drop into JS kernel modules as soon as possible, and implement all features in JS (paging, filesystems) etc.
HereBeBeasties 8y ago
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

24 points by borski 8y ago

There's probably some interesting stuff in here, but "operating system powered by node.js" is a little strong. They also say things like "NodeOS is an operating system built entirely in Javascript", which isn't true at all. They basically replaced bash and some of the gnu utils with node.js scripts. The OS itself is just Linux.

nineteen999 8y ago
> but "operating system powered by node.js" is a little strong Strong? It's like saying that a car is powered by its chassis.
danmg 8y ago
> ln -s /bin/sh /usr/bin/node job done. made an operating system!
kanox 8y ago
Linux is just a kernel, the proper terminology is Node/Linux.
- tyingq 8y ago
  It offers a pretty limited list of user space utilities: http://node-os.com/docs/Commands.html http://node-os.com/docs/Commands.html It does seem interesting, just noting that their rhetoric might be a bit off base.

swingline-747 8y ago

Is this Atwood's law Gravity Probe B?

meuhji 8y ago

pfff, Seriously?!? What are the main "features"? 90% of the HDD reserved for the node-modules dir ? :o)

meehow 8y ago

I think I will stick to my Bash-OS.

exog 8y ago

Has society gone too far now?

integricho 8y ago

Oh my God

felipeccastro 8y ago

I find the idea intriguing, but it's not clear to me from reading the site what is it for. What cool things one can do with this Node-OS that wouldn't be possible/easy with another Linux? Also, what's the story for GUI applications? npm is mostly used for libraries, not full apps, so I'm not sure why that was a good pick for an OS. I guess it would be nice if there was a web view as the default GUI mechanism, so one could use web apps as if they were native without having to resort to things like Electron.

lachlan-sneff 8y ago

It's an interesting idea, but as far as I can tell, it doesn't take advantage of the fact that all usermode code is sandboxed. You could potentially run everything in supervisor mode/ring 0 and remove a lot of the systemcall overhead.

earenndil 8y ago
As predicted by gary bernhardt[1]. FWIW, I don't think doing that will be a net win. I/O-bound applications might run slightly faster (I think gary bernhardt's number was 5%), but in exchange they'll take quite a bit more system resources, which mean increased power use and reduced lifespan. 1: https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death-of-javascript https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/talks/the-birth-and-death...
- lachlan-sneff 8y ago
  Could you explain what you mean by saying that they'll take more system resources?
  - earenndil 8y ago
    More ram, cpu usage, etc. So, imagine you have a given task. One option is it takes 60ms to execute and during that time it takes 50% cpu. Or, it takes 50ms to execute but takes 80% cpu. The second one takes less wallclock time but more cpu time.

fb03 8y ago

This is basically Node slapped on top of a Linux kernel. I would find it way more interesting (to say, way more actually a 'Node OS') if they implemented a really lightweight kernel to drop into JS kernel modules as soon as possible, and implement all features in JS (paging, filesystems) etc.

HereBeBeasties 8y ago

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.