Hello. For sometime now, i have been thinking of developing an HTML 5 OS that runs on a browser. Well, i call it an OS because it would function just like the normal OS except that it would still depend on a browser.

The idea was born out of my need to do basic tasks on my browser without the need to minimize and launch a program. For example, i would like to use a calculator right away to calculate my Google Adsense earnings  , It would be nice if i can just go to my "OS" launch my calculator app.  Also, i could just play my MP3s right from my "OS".

Although, this idea is no longer unique to me. It used to be till Carbyn (www.carbyn.com) was introduced. But still, i believe i can do better.

This OS will allow developers to also create application with a framework provided by the "OS".

At the moment, i am writing up features i would like to see in the first release. 

I decided to open a thread here so that i can carry you guys along. Building stuffs in isolation/secret has not really worked for me.

Later today, i'll drop a small feature list.

Cheers!

Features

1. Single User

Just like the mobile devices, it will allow just one user.

2. Multitasking Support

Yep. Applications will run separate processes. Applications can also create "threads". Apps are sandboxed, so they don't conflict with other apps.

3. Framework For Developers

A framework will be provided for developers. Apps will be developed with Javascript, XHTML/HTML 4/5, CSS and PHP. Although, application interfaces will need to
follow certain standards to prevent them from looking like websites. Applications built with the framework will have cross-browser support across all supported
browsers.

4. Native Applications

The OS will come with native applications like

- File Explore
- Task Manager
- Media Player
- Registry/Configuration manager
- Utility Applications
- etc

5. Internationalization

The OS will be in multiple languages. Even apps can use this feature which will be provided for in the framework.

6. Browser Support

erm, not sure if this is a feature. The first release will be available only on Google Chrome. Support for other browser will follow when the first release is
considered stable.



Ok na, make i prepare to start.

the windows 7 start menu is so organised and fast in taking you there ,i doubt that there would ever be any need for html 5 os!

Think of it this way, if you price tag it at $2 would any one even want to buy?

If you are doing it for hobby, nice. If its for business, nah, me nah think so.

Its just a thought, only a thought.

moderatorr:

the windows 7 start menu is so organised and fast in taking you there ,i doubt that there would ever be any need for html 5 os!

Think of it this way, if you price tag it at $2 would any one even want to buy?

If you are doing it for hobby, nice. If its for business, nah, me nah think so.

Its just a thought, only a thought.

It will be free and Open Source. Just so you know, you cannot predict an applications ability to sell without first knowing what it can do. The calculator yarn is just a basic example. You can do lot more with an HTML 5 OS.

Work has started. Writing what i would call the kernel. In a couple of days, i'll drop something for y'all to test.

Nice initiative. when u are thru u can release a an API for us.

pc guru:

Nice initiative. when u are thru u can release a an API for us.

Thanks. Sure, an API will definitely be available for developers. If you can build websites, you'll have no problem.

if u need help am always here ave a good knowledge on JS. okeowoaderemi@gmail.com good luck on ur quest.

pc guru:

if u need help am always here ave a good knowledge on JS. okeowoaderemi@gmail.com good luck on your quest.

pc guru:

if u need help am always here ave a good knowledge on JS. okeowoaderemi@gmail.com good luck on your quest.

pc guru:

if u need help am always here ave a good knowledge on JS. okeowoaderemi@gmail.com good luck on your quest.

Thanks bro. If I find myself in any wahala, I will disturb you.

Very interesting concept! I wish you didn't put this online like this cause someone might just steal your idea.

knowing the typical Nigerians *developers* we have it will take more than an idea to develop it unless he posted the whole code, notice i asteriked the developers. i had an idea like that before but exactly like his,its big work so whoever is stealing it might as well collaborate with him. but Engineerd is right u should limit the ideas because we all know what people might do, esp sm1 like ***Master. (looking for trouble).

I'm totally stealing this idea!! very nice lol. . .

VEry funny. If you are serious about it, you will have done it first before putting it online.

worldbest:

Hello. For sometime now, i have been thinking of developing an HTML 5 OS that runs on a browser. Well, i call it an OS because it would function just like the normal OS except that it would still depend on a browser.

The idea was born out of my need to do basic tasks on my browser without the need to minimize and launch a program. For example, i would like to use a calculator right away to calculate my Google Adsense earnings  , It would be nice if i can just go to my "OS" launch my calculator app.  Also, i could just play my MP3s right from my "OS".

Although, this idea is no longer unique to me. It used to be till Carbyn (www.carbyn.com) was introduced. But still, i believe i can do better.

This OS will allow developers to also create application with a framework provided by the "OS".

At the moment, i am writing up features i would like to see in the first release. 

I decided to open a thread here so that i can carry you guys along. Building stuffs in isolation/secret has not really worked for me.

Later today, i'll drop a small feature list.

Cheers!

 

So does this mean you haven't heard of Google's ChromeOS?
This just seems like a load of wasted effort to me, considering the fact that your initial goals are already admirably met by Google.

engineerd:

Very interesting concept! I wish you didn't put this online like this cause someone might just steal your idea.

Salmoneus:

I'm totally stealing this idea!! very nice lol. . .

pc guru:

knowing the typical Nigerians *developers* we have it will take more than an idea to develop it unless he posted the whole code, notice i asteriked the developers. i had an idea like that before but exactly like his,its big work so whoever is stealing it might as well collaborate with him. but Engineerd is right u should limit the ideas because we all know what people might do, esp sm1 like ***Master.   (looking for trouble).

I also asked myself minutes after i created the thread, i said "wb, why you come post your idea for everyone to see"  . But you see, i believe posting it online would make me work on it seriously, it would improve how i handle projects because i tend to get distracted easily. So now i know that if i fail to do it, someone else will take it up and that is my punishment.

Anyway, i am not really bothered about me exposing the idea. As PC Guru as stated, this is just the basic feature/plan. Plus, i believe that anyone who copies the idea is just going to be rushing things as he/she/they would not have done any research as i have. I've been working on the idea for months now till Carbyn beat me to it.

Also, it wont be bad to have good competition. Google and Bing exist, but we know who's king.

Now that this thread in on the front page, cold dey catch me.  

Update

Now, i am working on the File System. By tomorrow afternoon, i am pretty sure i would have completed the installation codes.

-----

@texazzpete he obviously doesn't intend to Run a OS similar to Chrome OS, and i think your comparism is way outta proportion Google Chrome OS is a linux OS that runs "Web Application" what he wants is a HTML5 App that will simulate every part of an OS (if possible), even the so called Chrome OS is not even 100% Web technology because the codes there have codes that are Google Chrome Specific just like Mozilla has its own XPCOM, this is what he is refering to http://alexw.me/ipad2/

@worldbest ehmmm Multi Tasking for now is a No-No on Web application because there's nothing like Threads on JS and even the experimental HTMl5 Webworker consumes CPU and Cross browser at all. the only way to emulate multi tasking is having a kind of Event management that runs each event and gives a callback or playing around with the SetTimeout after checking which call has been made. it will be hard to pull that off. u shud read on JavaScript Blocking if u want to emulator multi-task like.

pc guru:

@texazzpete he obviously doesn't intend to Run a OS similar to Chrome OS, and i think your comparism is way outta proportion Google Chrome OS is a linux OS that runs "Web Application" what he wants is a HTML5 App that will simulate every part of an OS (if possible), even the so called Chrome OS is not even 100% Web technology because the codes there have codes that are Google Chrome Specific just like Mozilla has its own XPCOM, this is what he is refering to http://alexw.me/ipad2/

Thanks for the explanation.
But my point is, he already stated his goals

1. Be able to launch apps right from the browser
2. Play Mp3 files from the browser.

Google's ChromeOS does these tasks admirably, so there's already a solution available. The underlying tech is secondary.

Apps are sandboxed
Each JS App can created in its own Module so that it will not pollute another app.
e.g if the name of the Web OS was Html5
it wud be html5.os.app.HelloWorld which will be a literal object or can be anonymous function so that all codes in the the scope will only exist in the Module Context. its what Jquery uses to create plugins.

var module.context=(function(){

})(html5.os) //which html5.os is the Global Objects that hold datas u will want each user to have access to

No p,am even surprised to see u in the programming section. haven't been in the mobile section for years.

texazzpete:

Thanks for the explanation.
But my point is, he already stated his goals

1. Be able to launch apps right from the browser
2. Play Mp3 files from the browser.

Google's ChromeOS does these tasks admirably, so there's already a solution available. The underlying tech is secondary.

I would agree that the underlying tech is secondary. Like i earlier said, its not going to be like the normal OS. I think the people who created Carbyn also share similar vision with me.

dhtml .:


VEry funny. If you are serious about it, you will have done it first before putting it online.

Thats the reason why i have posted it. I believe it will help with my seriousness

pc guru:

Apps are sandboxed
Each JS App can created in its own Module so that it will not pollute another app.
e.g if the name of the Web OS was Html5
it wud be html5.os.app.HelloWorld which will be a literal object or can be anonymous function so that all codes in the the scope will only exist in the Module Context. its what Jquery uses to create plugins.

var module.context=(function(){

})(html5.os) //which html5.os is the Global Objects that hold datas u will want each user to have access to

That is the idea. Most of the principles i will be using will be custom. Like the web worker for thread. WebWorkers are still better that setTimeout cus the work on seperate processes. I am also aware of their problems. Thanks you very much for bring that up.

The aim appears to create another Cloud OS. Cloud computing covers this already.

@worldbest: Nice Idea.

A lot of developers are interested this at least concept wise and even though some big names and experience individuals have current working implementations, I see no reason why you shouldn't do it.

The one I currently use is being developed by the group who are responsible for VLC (media player and code library) and other cool projects.

It's also open sourced so you can learn a few things from it. Link: http://eyeos.tano.si/

Some thoughts though: While I do not expect things to remain the same, I doubt web operating systems will catch on if all they do is recreate what native OSs do. Their only advantage in this case being file access from anywhere.

I'm worried that some of the promise will be overlooked if we concentrate on this replication and that is why I like the idea of a cloud 'computing' in the strictest sense rather than what most use it for nowadays which is largely file storage. A lot of research is being done regarding processing all that is needed in the cloud and sending minute data to devices. This will especially be useful for tasks such as gaming. Imagine playing ps3 games on your nokia 3310 ( okay exaggeration, but I've got license to dream). How do we save the user the cost of processing?

I saw a research where something like an iphone was used for demonstration but I can't remember where.

Edit: here's a link: http://www.razorianfly.com/2011/02/28/in-the-future-your-iphone-could-run-ps3-games-video/

If we could do minimum hardware processing on our devices and have everything done in the cloud with low bandwidth requirements, that'd be heaven.

What I'm saying is that we have to look beyond emulating current systems when we proceed to the next generation. We have to decide what we want the future to look like.

PS: We dey miss u for game project page o.

gameaddict:

@worldbest: Nice Idea.

A lot of developers are interested this at least concept wise and even though some big names and experience individuals have current working implementations, I see no reason why you shouldn't do it.

The one I currently use is being developed by the group who are responsible for VLC (media player and code library) and other cool projects.

It's also open sourced so you can learn a few things from it. Link: http://eyeos.tano.si/

Some thoughts though: While I do not expect things to remain the same, I doubt web operating systems will catch on if all they do is recreate what native OSs do. Their only advantage in this case being file access from anywhere.

I'm worried that some of the promise will be overlooked if we concentrate on this replication and that is why I like the idea of a cloud 'computing' in the strictest sense rather than what most use it for nowadays which is largely file storage. A lot of research is being done regarding processing all that is needed in the cloud and sending minute data to devices. This will especially be useful for tasks such as gaming. Imagine playing ps3 games on your nokia 3310 ( okay exaggeration, but I've got license to dream). How do we save the user the cost of processing?

I saw a research where something like an iphone was used for demonstration but I can't remember where.

Edit: here's a link: http://www.razorianfly.com/2011/02/28/in-the-future-your-iphone-could-run-ps3-games-video/

If we could do minimum hardware processing on our devices and have everything done in the cloud with low bandwidth requirements, that'd be heaven.

What I'm saying is that we have to look beyond emulating current systems when we proceed to the next generation. We have to decide what we want the future to look like.

PS: We dey miss u for game project page o.

Heeeey GA, how far now. I totally agree with you. We should not stop developing stuffs just because the big boys have done it.

My aim is not to recreate the native browser functionalities but to create a sort of platform where applications are built with HTML5. I want a situation where heavy internet users can go for days without minimizing their browsers. I know there are cloud OSs but only one was built on web technologies.

As per the game group, make una no vex. I try to learn one or two things but Web programming just takes the whole of my time.


Hw school naw?

Ok, things are going faster than expected. I just completed the installation routine. I am at that point where you see your home screen. Just taking inspiration from other OSs on how the home screen would look like.

By thd way, I am using jQuery. My fuel done finish, so I will stop here.

I would have posted screenshots but na picture una go chop? Lol. My plan is to upload the stuff for testing once I am done with the home screen.

Cheers

^^^ Hi worldbest,
I wish you the best in your project. I'l encourage you to continue even if similar ideas have been actualized by Cabyn. Sometimes, the discoveries you make in the journey could be more profitable than the destination itself.

SNCOQ3:

^^^ Hi worldbest,
I wish you the best in your project. I'l encourage you to continue even if similar ideas have been actualized by Cabyn. Sometimes, the discoveries you make in the journey could be more profitable than the destination itself.

Thank you very much.

Good intentions,

You can take cues from eyeos www.eyeos.org its an open source browser based desktop with all the goodies like calculator, office suite and so much more, take a peek at what they have and test drive. All the codes are there for you to use and/or re-use

guardiola:

Good intentions,

You can take cues from eyeos www.eyeos.org its an open source browser based desktop with all the goodies like calculator, office suite and so much more, take a peek at what they have and test drive.  All the codes are there for you to use and/or re-use

Thank you. Just downloaded it.

Right now, i am drawing up wireframes for home screen. Also writing the home screen management script. I am not much of a graphics guy, so i wont be going for a super cool look, just basic stuffs.

This is how the apps will look like on the home screen. Totally draggable, just like the iPad.

you can create a repo in Github or Google Code so we can help and improve somethings if u do this alone it will be overwhelming also am a graphic person.

i can help with interface but i usually have exams and projects so if its a short term thing then i might not be able to do it but if its a 2 weeks stuff then i can help with ui.