Changes between Version 2 and Version 3 of FAQ


Ignore:
Timestamp:
2010-05-19T13:56:35Z (14 years ago)
Author:
Jakub Jermář
Comment:

Extend FAQs to contain more advocating Q&A.

Legend:

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  • FAQ

    v2 v3  
    11= Frequently Asked Questions =
    22
     3== General Questions ==
    34'''Q:''' '''What is HelenOS?'''[[BR]]
    45'''A:''' HelenOS is an open-source microkernel-based multiserver operating system. It runs on several different CPU architectures (IA-32, x86-64, SPARC V9, IA-64, PowerPC, ARM, MIPS). HelenOS prides in portability, modularity, clean design and coding style.
    … …  
    3031'''A:''' HelenOS source code is managed with [http://bazaar.canonical.com/en/ Bazaar VCS]. We have a central repository which is considered as the most current code base. Several developers also have their private development branches which are publicly viewable.
    3132
     33== Advocacy Related Questions ==
     34
     35'''Q:''' '''Oh, yet another operating system?'''[[BR]]
     36'''A:''' No, there are definitely many more various content management systems, office suites or web browsers out there than there are microkernel-based multiserver operating systems like HelenOS.
     37
    3238'''Q:''' '''Why don't you work on ''insert your favorite OS project'' instead?'''[[BR]]
    3339'''A:''' While HelenOS currently has some gaps in user-space functionality (such as system tools and applications), from many points of view we consider it more advanced than any comparable project. Microkernel is just a label and there are as many ways to write a microkernel system as there are many ways to write an operating system. HelenOS pursues many interesting ideas not found in other projects. HelenOS is portable, clean and modular. And last, but not least, writing HelenOS is fun {{{^_^}}}.
     40
     41'''Q:''' '''After so many years of development, HelenOS still cannot do XYZ?'''[[BR]]
     42'''A:''' We are developing a new operating system from scratch as compared to a mere cloning an existing system with an established API. This forces us to figure out and design everything ourselves, which takes time.[[BR]]
     43'''A:''' The HelenOS development process can be characterized as breadth-first rather than depth-first. Breadth-first here denotes the fact that we are writing code which runs on half-dozen processor architectures and is highly multiplatform and portable. This is in strong contrast with the depth-first development model, in which a project quickly gains a lot of desktop features on only one architecture (typically x86) but its poor design prevents it from being ported to more platforms.