4 ms·

Is the kernel really the differentiator there? seL4 is a Proven microkernel that is some 9000 lines of C. This ancient SO post[0] claims Linux is 140k lines. Th

Is the kernel really the differentiator there? seL4 is a Proven microkernel that is some 9000 lines of C. This ancient SO post[0] claims Linux is 140k lines. The kernel is just a tiny component of the many things required to get an OS up and running. I suspect most projects just peter out as the enormity of the complexity becomes apparent. [0] https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/223746/why-is-the-linux-kernel-15-million-lines-of-code https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/223746/why-is-the-l...

monocasa 2y ago
That's just the architecture and driver independent part of the kernel. The kernel source tree is 15M lines or so.
- coderatlarge 2y ago
  I’d love to know what the smallest OS is that can boot on an old MacBook, get to network (wired or wireless), and includes a basic browser (tui or gui) even if it doesn’t drive all the onboard hardware. That feels like it would be an excellent learning platform.
  - yencabulator 2y ago
    Not vouching for it working on a MacBook, and it sure ain't "modern", but you might love poking around in QNX. 1.44 MB was plenty for everything. https://crackberry.com/heres-how-qnx-looked-1999-running-144mb-floppy https://crackberry.com/heres-how-qnx-looked-1999-running-144... These days, most people would run it in qemu, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqILeQ-Cg-A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqILeQ-Cg-A
    - coderatlarge 2y ago
      thanks - in that vein there's also freeDOS. but I assume if someone had built a learning OS they could make it much smaller? haven't tried: http://randomcomputerbits.blogspot.com/2008/02/tutorial-installing-freedos-on-intel.html http://randomcomputerbits.blogspot.com/2008/02/tutorial-inst...
      - yencabulator 2y ago
        DOS just isn't much of an operating system, it's more like a bunch of helper functions preloaded into RAM, and you're free to do whatever you want with or without them.

monocasa 2y ago

That's just the architecture and driver independent part of the kernel. The kernel source tree is 15M lines or so.

coderatlarge 2y ago
I’d love to know what the smallest OS is that can boot on an old MacBook, get to network (wired or wireless), and includes a basic browser (tui or gui) even if it doesn’t drive all the onboard hardware. That feels like it would be an excellent learning platform.
- yencabulator 2y ago
  Not vouching for it working on a MacBook, and it sure ain't "modern", but you might love poking around in QNX. 1.44 MB was plenty for everything. https://crackberry.com/heres-how-qnx-looked-1999-running-144mb-floppy https://crackberry.com/heres-how-qnx-looked-1999-running-144... These days, most people would run it in qemu, e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqILeQ-Cg-A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqILeQ-Cg-A
  - coderatlarge 2y ago
    thanks - in that vein there's also freeDOS. but I assume if someone had built a learning OS they could make it much smaller? haven't tried: http://randomcomputerbits.blogspot.com/2008/02/tutorial-installing-freedos-on-intel.html http://randomcomputerbits.blogspot.com/2008/02/tutorial-inst...
    - yencabulator 2y ago
      DOS just isn't much of an operating system, it's more like a bunch of helper functions preloaded into RAM, and you're free to do whatever you want with or without them.