An operating system (OS) is a basic software whose rule is to intermediate software requisitions for resources and the hardware available, manage input/output, memory allocation/deallocation, file systems, among other basic tasks a device should do.
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4answers
415 views
C++ or C#: Which language is Microsoft going to use in development of future Windows versions? [closed]
I heard almost all parts of Windows are written in C and C++ with some assembly. Why did Microsoft skip C#? Is there any scope for C# in the development of future Windows versions?
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3answers
275 views
Why Apple doesn't “force” the user to update by installing the needed API updates when the user downloads a new app? [closed]
I was here programming in iOS with a class that's available only for iOS 6, and I was wondering: why should I implement my app to handle multiple operating systems when my app will be distributed by ...
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votes
1answer
134 views
Can we call PLC as virtual machine? [closed]
I want to implement some byte code mimics in 8051.
I used 24c16 as memory unit and took instructions from computer COM port and store it in 24c16 memory and later on in running mode it translates ...
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votes
1answer
110 views
Technical interview graphics-related concepts fundamentals [closed]
I'm having a technical interview with a graphics society in a few time and I'd like to expand my knowledge related to the following subjects:
TLB (translation lookaside buffers and their role)
low ...
0
votes
2answers
203 views
JVM vs operating systems [duplicate]
Recently i was re-visiting the basic concepts of operating systems. Since I am a java developer, I have inherently started looking at everything from java point of view. I am also reading 'Inside the ...
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votes
1answer
109 views
Where should I start in creating a full-blown mobile OS? [closed]
I want to create a full-blown ARM mobile OS, with a user interface and all.
Although I could base the OS on Linux, my preference is to start from scratch with an ARM emulator, though I wonder if that ...
14
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it possible to read memory from another program by allocating all the empty space on a system?
Theoretically, if I were to build a program that allocated all the unused memory on a system, and continued to request more and more memory as other applications released memory that they no longer ...
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votes
3answers
196 views
How flexible can hardware get? [closed]
This subject is long time in the making for me and it particularly took off when I was researching bootloaders for computers and consumer electronics, which, I will note, differ drastically. I've ...
4
votes
2answers
205 views
What is the lifecycle for loading a Linux Desktop Environment?
I'm looking into delving into a bit of custom OS work (and yes I understand that doing any development at the DE level or lower on an OS is extremely complex and not a light thing to undertake, ...
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votes
1answer
190 views
Explanation of computer systems to a completely new programmer [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Recommendations for teaching kids math concepts & skills for programming?
A non-programmer I know is looking into how to teach (and learn while teaching) programming ...
1
vote
4answers
522 views
Wouldn't it be easier to build an operating system on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) than on bare-hardware? [closed]
All you'd have to do is work on a compatible software-layer for the JVM to run on, and write the OS in Java, execute the bytecode, and voila! You have yourself an operating system.
To me that sounds ...
0
votes
2answers
156 views
Are monolith and microkernel design patterns or strategies?
What's the difference between a design pattern and a strategy?
Is the monolith actually an anti-pattern?
1
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3answers
163 views
Inter-process and inter-thread data sharing [closed]
I know that operating systems facilitate inter-process and inter-thread data sharing. I want to know about the mechanisms used to facilitate such sharing. I read about "pipes". What are the other ...
115
votes
11answers
7k views
How do operating systems… run… without having an OS to run in?
I'm really curious right now. I'm a Python programmer, and this question just boggled me: You write an OS. How do you run it? It has to be run somehow, and that way is within another OS?
How can an ...
11
votes
4answers
270 views
What are best practices for testing programs with stochastic behavior?
Doing R&D work, I often find myself writing programs that have some large degree of randomness in their behavior. For example, when I work in Genetic Programming, I often write programs that ...
6
votes
1answer
290 views
Understanding the levels of computing
Sorry, for my confused question. I'm looking for some pointers.
Up to now I have been working mostly with Java and Python on the application layer and I have only a vague understanding of operating ...
1
vote
0answers
184 views
What are some good resources for learning about file systems? [closed]
I'd like to learn about file system design at a very detailed level. I'm currently in a graduate level operating systems course, and we're currently going over file systems. We mostly discuss papers ...
3
votes
1answer
135 views
Concept of Address Space
I have searched the idea of address space that is The set of all legal addresses in memory for a given application. The address space represents the amount of memory available to a program. I am ...
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votes
2answers
454 views
What is the relationship between the command line, the OS and the microprocessor? [closed]
I'm not totally clear on how using the command line differs from working through the OS' interface using an editor for example. Obviously the UI is different but I want to understand how the command ...
8
votes
9answers
1k views
OS choice for functional developing
I'm mainly a .NET developer so I normaly use Windows/VisualStudio (that means: I'm spoiled) but I'm enjoying Haskell and other (mostly functional) languagues in my spare time.
Now for Haskell the ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Confusion related to sigwait in multiprocess system
I am having difficulty in understanding IPC in multiprocess system. I have this system where there are three child processes that send two types of signals to their process group. There are four types ...
1
vote
3answers
281 views
understanding computers [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Good resources to understand how a program interacts with machine hardware
I don't know if this is the correct StackExchange site to ask this question. But I could not ...
1
vote
1answer
333 views
What is the difference between Times and Dup in Assembly Language?
In a bootloader, the second last line is :
TIMES 510-($-$$) db 0
Now, will this command also do the same :
db 510-($-$$) DUP (0)
If not why?
I know what TIMES does, but its not mentioned ...
1
vote
4answers
1k views
Is there a difference between multi-tasking and time-sharing?
Just going over my school notes, my teacher identifies multi-tasking OS, and time-sharing OS as two different things.
I really don't see a difference between the two.
MULTI-TASKING: You load a number ...
2
votes
2answers
247 views
Issues with time slicing
I was trying to see the effect of time slicing, and how it can consume significant amount of time. Actually, I was trying to divide a certain task into a number of threads and see the effect.
I ...
2
votes
1answer
326 views
Are there similarities between operating system kernels and programming language kernels?
I know very little about Smalltalk but I noticed that there's a frequent mention of the "kernel". Dan Ingalls prime maintainer of several implementations of Smalltalk also worked on a Javascript ...
2
votes
2answers
763 views
How do I implement the bg, &, and fg commands functionaliity in my custom unix shell program written in C
I am extending the functionality of a custom unix shell which I wrote as part of my lab assignment. It currently supports all commands through execvp calls, in-built commands like pwd, cd, history, ...
3
votes
2answers
351 views
What are the advantages of programming to under an OS as opposed to bare metal executive?
Assume you are presented with an embedded system application to program, in C, on a multi-core environment (think a Cavium or Tilera) and need to choose between two environments:
Code the application ...
3
votes
5answers
226 views
What tool sets and applications have affinity with multiprocessor programming?
In grad school I took a class in multiprocessor and distributed operating systems. I think multiprocessor software development will become increasingly important and will be driven by the need to ...
6
votes
1answer
430 views
Are there any FOSS operating systems available that conform to NASA's JPL coding standards?
I, like many others, have been completely enamored with the recent successful landing of Mar's Curiosity rover. After reading a couple of articles, and following a few links, I've found a couple C ...
6
votes
2answers
299 views
What are the qualifications for working with development of operating systems?
I always saw a lot of ads of programming jobs before.
But I never saw an ad of operating systems development job before. I also never met personally someone who worked as operating system's ...
5
votes
5answers
607 views
Is it a good idea to write an OS in a scripting language? [closed]
Is it a good idea to create an OS that's written in a scripting language?
For example, how about creating an OS using Python?
76
votes
4answers
8k views
What operating systems are used in airplanes, and what programming languages are they developed in?
I was wondering if anyone knows what is the operating system used in commercial airplanes (say Boeing or Airbus).
Also, what is the (preferred) real-time programing language? I heard that Ada is used ...
2
votes
1answer
258 views
0.00006103515625 GB of RAM. Is .NET MicroFramework part of Windows CE?
The .NET MicroFramework claims to work on 64K RAM and has list of compatible targets vendors. At the same time, same vendors who ship hardware and create Board Support Packages (vendors like Adeneo) ...
1
vote
1answer
93 views
Is SAN system administrator different than normal sys admin [closed]
In the job description they say that they need SAN administrator.
I have experince with basic system administration.
I was thinking if i can apply that job or not
1
vote
1answer
170 views
When to distinguish OS versions in canonical names for target platforms
I would like to organize my company's software releases by platform. I've looked at how Mozilla, Perforce, and Apache organize their releases, and it seems that I should partition by OS and processor ...
21
votes
8answers
2k views
Any basic difference between Unix and Linux in design and other aspects? [closed]
I keep reading this sentence:
Linux is a Unix-like system, but it is not Unix.
I don't know what's the real difference between the two. I know Linux got a lot of ideas from Unix and the licenses ...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
Why does ARM processors dominate Mobile platforms while x86 dominates Desktop/Server platforms
Almost all of the mobile phones, except the ones being produced by Intel, use ARM based processors while desktop/server industry is dominated x86 processors.
What features does one provide over the ...
181
votes
15answers
44k views
Why was Tanenbaum wrong in the Tanenbaum-Torvalds debates?
I was recently assigned reading from the Tanenbaum-Torvalds debates in my OS class. In the debates, Tanenbaum makes some predictions:
Microkernels are the future
x86 will die out and RISC ...
1
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2answers
227 views
x86 segmentation and threading
Is some connection between using x86 segmentation and a possible implementation a thread package? I've been told that usually x86 segmentation is implemented in operating systems these days with an ...
36
votes
16answers
2k views
Is it a waste of time to free resources before I exit a process?
Let's consider a fictional program that builds a linked list in the heap, and at the end of the program there is a loop that frees all the nodes, and then exits. For this case let's say the linked ...
7
votes
1answer
265 views
What are the main bottlenecks to know about Java portability?
Java is known to be portable; "compile once, run anywhere". I know this is often true because I have many times deployed jar or war without any cross-platform troubles. Still, I am left wondering if ...
0
votes
2answers
192 views
Windows OS design decisions [closed]
I've seen an interview with Richard Stallman some time ago, and he was asked a question about security and Windows OS which he answered saying that there are some relatively bad design decisions that ...
2
votes
1answer
342 views
Confused About Virtual Memory for All Processes
I hope this is the right place. This is a homework assignment for my Operating Systems course and I have to implement a working virtual memory system in C++ so programming is directly involved.
I've ...
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votes
1answer
2k views
How to develop my own phone OS [closed]
I know it's a very big question to ask :), I'm just asking out of curiosity.
Is it possible for someone to build a phone OS?
Can someone guide me through this please. For example, how to choose a ...
0
votes
4answers
311 views
Why high-tech OSs (like UNIX family) are mostly command based (rather than GUI based)? [closed]
DR-DOS, Plan, BSD, Sun Solaris, HP/UX, OpenServer.....and so on.
Why high-tech OSs (like UNIX family) are mostly command based (rather than GUI based)?
3
votes
4answers
865 views
Object-Oriented Operating System
As I thought about writing an operating system, I came across a point that I really couldn't figure out on my own:
Can an operating system truly be written in an Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) ...
16
votes
10answers
1k views
Are there any OS which are simple enough for learning?
I would really like to understand how an operating system works behind the scenes. However, I think that the kernel of most open-source OSs out there are too complex for learning purposes, even for a ...
5
votes
2answers
708 views
Which operating systems book is good as a quick refresher?
I am preparing for a technical interview and need to review the basics of major operating systems concepts.
We used Tanenbaum's Modern Operating Systems in school for our operating systems course, ...
13
votes
8answers
685 views
What exactly is distributed computing?
So I'm a senior in college and a couple of weeks ago, I interviewed at Microsoft for an entry-level SDE position. While most of the interviews (out of the total 7) were on the general principles of ...
