HTML5 based OS ?

[Ampix0]

I know call me crazy because I know so little on this level of computing when it comes down to bootloaders and such, But I have heard of operating systems that are completely based on HTML5 including the desktop and all. Now I am not sure if these are an overlay on linux, or if they are their own engine per say. But depending on how this works.. If may be a VERY efficient web device, for music, videos, web and more, especially cloud.

Like I said. I don\'t know much but I\'m sure some of you do.

Apparently, this is a website that runs an OS like experience in HTML5 not exactly what i meant, but maybe a super cut down version of linux running something similar to this.
http://carbyn.com/

I guess what im asking now is, is a Javascript/HTML5 Os possible at all?

[barnaby]

Yep, it\'s possible, but it would essentially be a browser running on some cut-down version of Linux.

In terms of efficiency, I cannot see any benefits. Nothing is as efficient as a (well written) native application. Whilst browsers like chrome allow each page to have its own thread, and for threads to spawn more threads, it\'s not a particularly lightweight or highly powered environment.

The one huge benefit in my eyes is the increased ease with which applications can be built.

Cheers,
Barnaby

[abishur]

It would be pretty useful for a library where they always seem to be running some Tandy 386 speed computer and even though you can only use the browser to search their website, they try to run the latest version of windows with all the bells and whistles turned on in the background

[kme]

[quote]Quote from abishur on October 28, 2011, 13:25
It would be pretty useful for a library where they always seem to be running some Tandy 386 speed computer and even though you can only use the browser to search their website, they try to run the latest version of windows with all the bells and whistles turned on in the background [/quote]That\'s due to pure ignorance. Thin client based web kiosk with client side browsers (server independent) has been around 10-15 years. Some are even free OSS like Thinstation. But as far as I know they are all x86.

[JonHubertBristol]

I think what you\'re looking for is Chromium OS, it\'s the Open Source version to what the ChromeBooks are running, boots in a few seconds and presents you with a browser, from their you can use WebApps like:

Office - Zoho, Google Docs, Microsoft Office 365
Multimedia - Pandora, Spotify, Google Music (soon to be released)
Socail Networking- (these already are browser based)

So yes it\'s very possible, and there\'s a already a build of Chromium running on ARM, the Trimslice. and also, Tizen (the new name for meego) will be built on web technologies like HTML5

Chromium OS - http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os
Chromium running on ARM - http://trimslice.com/web/chromium-os-on-trim-slice
Tizen - https://www.tizen.org/

[Ryanroll]

The problem with a browser OS approach is that it needs internet (like chromeOS)

Assuming that this device is built for children all over the world where internet access is very difficult / expensive, it wouldn\'t be the right choice.

As an OS i\'d probably go for a lightweight linux distrib (like an optimised debian with lxde) rather than a cloud computing.

[JonHubertBristol]

[quote]Quote from Ryanroll on October 28, 2011, 14:59
The problem with a browser OS approach is that it needs internet (like chromeOS)

Assuming that this device is built for children all over the world where internet access is very difficult / expensive, it wouldn\'t be the right choice.

As an OS i\'d probably go for a lightweight linux distrib (like an optimised debian with lxde) rather than a cloud computing.[/quote]

Still, they won\'t be only ones using the device. Of course the ones heading to them will be loading with the best possible choice of OS, but for the rest of us consumers, tinkerers and hobbyists, we have just that to be content with, a Choice of OSes

[Ryanroll]

Of course
BTW you can take a look at http://www.jolicloud.com but i think it doesn\'t handle ARM-based devices. it\'s mainly built for netbooks.

[Scribe]

I know we\'ve talked about this a lot but I think HTML5 is one of the instances where you need more than 256MB of memory to see the most benefit from it.

[barnaby]

[quote]The problem with a browser OS approach is that it needs internet (like chromeOS)[/quote]

Not necessarily… It would be simplicity it\'s self to build a web server into the OS, and run applications off the computer. That\'s what I do when I\'m building websites/web apps. The tendency with web apps is for them to have features which require internet access, but you could easily write ones which used local storage.

[quote]I know we\'ve talked about this a lot but I think HTML5 is one of the instances where you need more than 256MB of memory to see the most benefit from it.[/quote]

Perhaps, unless hardware acceleration (a la iOS devices with CSS -webkit-3d-transform) was put into place. After all, if the raspi can play 1080p video, it can probably do simple CSS3 animations. Also, surely the browsers will be able to handle stuff like local storage?

But I agree, and as I said — native apps will always be more efficient.

Cheers,
Barnaby

[Ampix0]

Wow i did not even think of chromeOS not a bad option here.

@Ryanroll that looks very interesting. depending on how efficient it is

[JonHubertBristol]

[quote]Quote from barnaby on October 28, 2011, 08:49
Yep, it\'s possible, but it would essentially be a browser running on some cut-down version of Linux.

In terms of efficiency, I cannot see any benefits. Nothing is as efficient as a (well written) native application. Whilst browsers like chrome allow each page to have its own thread, and for threads to spawn more threads, it\'s not a particularly lightweight or highly powered environment.

Cheers,
Barnaby[/quote]

You should have a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Native_Client

and http://www.naclbox.com/
The second link just shows some uses, but there you have it, possible native code x86 or ARM in a browser

[barnaby]

Hmmm, that looks interesting… I wonder if it\'ll ever take off.

Regardless, it\'s not HTML5

Cheers,
Barnaby

[cnxsoft]

There is Tizen (https://www.tizen.org/) which will be an HTML5 OS based on Linux. But this is still in development.

[alsaf]

I don\'t see why Boot to Gecko couldn\'t work on a Raspberry PI:

https://wiki.mozilla.org/B2G

It is being primarily developed for smartphones but is also aimed at tablets. From my understanding of the project, it is developing API\'s for the platforms like touchscreen, dialer etc. These don\'t need to be used and this it is essentially a GUI layer over Linux, there might not need to be that much work to get it working on a Pi.

I just want to clarify a misconception that seems to be going about this project. It is not a cloud OS and does not need an online connection to work. It is essentially a GUI interface written in HTML5 and will work offline.

Other projects that may be of interest is Chromeless and Webian Shell:

http://mozillalabs.com/chromeless

http://webian.org/shell/

[emjay_jz]

Well that's sounds a bit like what I am looking for:


Mozilla Boot2Gecko
ChromiumOS
Tizen
Webconverger

A small multi-language distro starting without any interaction into the browser. No login required. Acting as a secure web kiosk (like Webconverger) but with optional cloud storage (like ChromiumOS, JoliOS - with login) and the possibility to be managed remotely via VNC or e.g. Teamviewer.

Browser with support for HTML5, PDF, optional Flash and Java. (like Chromium?)

Semi-automatic online update.

It could work as a exposed web kiosk in a library or school as well as a fail safe internet PC for my parents ...

If anyone got hands on something like this please send pn or post...

[emjay_jz]