My idea for a new operating system

[Big-K]

I've had this idea for a while, and have yet to find anyone who has thought of it before.

An operating system that:

Is a command line interface, possibly with the ability to use gui(similar to Slackware Linux in this aspect)

Can run graphical programs and games in special windows

Easy to set special commands to run programs


All this would seemingly make a great operating system. It would have a minimal boot time, would use much less memory than gui systems, etc. It would be the perfect system for gamers wouldn't it? They could just boot up, type 'Halo'(an example) and it would go straight in. No clicking icons or anything. It wouldn't be very useful for multitaskers, but they can just use other stuff. Maybe it could use the multiple terminal system(again, like slackware) where you can switch to a different program that is running with the f keys. What I'm thinking of would be for windows, but still could be good with unix and other types of OS.

Does anyone else think this would be a good operating system?

 

[HenryVI]

I chose maybe.

If you know how to make an OS, then more power to ya!!!

If you don't then hmmmm.....

When you have made it I'd like to try it out plz lol!!

 

[Big-K]

I don't have more than extremely basic C++ knowledge, I would have no way to make this. I'm wishing someone else would.

 

[pr0t3st]

This is my wish to Microsoft... Develop and make available a COMPLETELY stripped down version of Windows... Nothing on it except (maybe notepad) and the core files needed to load the OS. Now that would be worth paying for!

 

[HenryVI]

I like Windows......*sniff sniff*

 

[ACTU]

I like Windows......*sniff sniff*

I do when there running right.

 

[codejockey]

I've had this idea for a while, and have yet to find anyone who has thought of it before.

An operating system that:

Is a command line interface, possibly with the ability to use gui(similar to Slackware Linux in this aspect)

Can run graphical programs and games in special windows

Easy to set special commands to run programs


All this would seemingly make a great operating system. It would have a minimal boot time, would use much less memory than gui systems, etc. It would be the perfect system for gamers wouldn't it? They could just boot up, type 'Halo'(an example) and it would go straight in. No clicking icons or anything. It wouldn't be very useful for multitaskers, but they can just use other stuff. Maybe it could use the multiple terminal system(again, like slackware) where you can switch to a different program that is running with the f keys. What I'm thinking of would be for windows, but still could be good with unix and other types of OS.

Does anyone else think this would be a good operating system?

Depending on who you ask, the answer is "YES!!!" -- but what you describe is available right now from multiple Linux distributions. Is gaming the problem? -- if so, stop: you will never have an O/S that emulates another as efficiently as the original. For gamers, efficiency is everything -- fast response time, fast re-draw time, fast, fast, fast. Translation adds another layer, which degrades performance (hey, why do you think that the speed-critical functions are written in assembly?!).

You must choose your market. Too long, too late -- apologies. More later, if it matters.

 

[Big-K]

Some good points. The linux ones don't support many of the things I'm thinking of though.

 

[brendandonhu]

Everything you said has been supported by Linux for about a decade....except Halo of course, you can't run Halo without a GUI environment any way you cut it.

 

[Big-K]

I have yet to see linux run a graphical program without a graphical gui like KDE running. Plus, linux is unable to run the many windows programs that would be wanted. There's good stuff on both sides of the spectrum.

What I'm suggesting is forcing the game to run without the gui environment, making a temporary, much smaller one for it to run on that is stopped as soon as the game shuts down. It would be limited to helping the program run and that's all. Even linux is still unable to do that as far I know.

I'm not even sure if it's possible, I'm just saying wouldn't it be cool if it existed.

 

[brendandonhu]

What I'm suggesting is forcing the game to run without the gui environment, making a temporary, much smaller one for it to run on that is stopped as soon as the game shuts down. It would be limited to helping the program run and that's all. Even linux is still unable to do that as far I know.

If you want a smaller graphical environment, use GNU Screen and Fluxbox instead of KDE. Throw in Cedega/WineX and I still don't see how this is different than Linux.

 

[Big-K]

well for one the fact that I've rarely gotten wine to actually run something correctly.

Nevermind, sheesh.

 

[ChuckE]

Much, if not all, of what you want has already been done. The Amiga OS was like that; it had a great GUI and a very robust CLI (Command Line Interface). There were great functions already built into the CLI, from running things inside of defined windows, or even the built in speech synthesizer.

The Amiga OS was built on the back of UNIX.

Look for already existing Linix and Lindows tools, or others much like them. Don't even consider trying to do it yourself, unless you have years of experience and years to devote to a thankless task.

 

[Big-K]

I wasn't even going to consider doing it myself.

 

[Lurker1]

Wasn't this windows 3.1 or 95? Command line interface and GUI when needed. Games ran using their own drivers and didn't need to have windows interfering.