Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: FrontierOS

Author:Ian Beatty
Posted:3/5/1999; 9:09:33 AM
Topic:QNX
Msg #:3640 (In response to 3632)
Prev/Next:3639 / 3641

Hmm... I've been thinking for a while that Frontier is starting to look an awful lot like an operating system, with its ODB for a file system, macros/scripts as "application" programs, etc. But instead of building everything into it, Frontier "shares the burden" by cross-talking with web browsers and other apps to add functionality.

Maybe this suggests a different kind of OS paradigm: instead of the traditional, draconian operating system which defines the user experience and shapes all the applications, how about having a nearly-invisible microkernel to handle hardware control and broker messaging, and building the rest of the "OS" out of cooperating, user's-choice components similar to Frontier, Netscape, server software, etc.

In other words, shrink the role of Windows or MacOS or Linux, and grow the role of third-party apps. Perhaps the move to embedded systems with fractional horespower HTTP servers, etc. will lead the way.

Obvious potential downside: Without an OS-defined user interface, the user experience would likely be inconsistent, as with Linux.

But I don't know squat about OS programming. I'm just playing with ideas.

-- Ian

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