LoseThos

LoseThos is a "supplemental" operating system because you'll want to dual boot with another operating system, since you can't access the Internet and because it's not really suited for a usage other than screwing around writing programs. It's really good for that, though -- lots of fun. Except for graphics, LoseThos is modern -- 64-bit, multi-cored and with HD Audio. It does not depend on other code for anything. In fact, you can use it as the sole operating system on a computer with no network. For those of you with fierce operating system cult loyalty, relax, it's not a zero sum game.

LoseThos is simple. It runs on a standard 64-bit PC, nothing exotic, and compiles and runs native x86_64 code -- no byte code or interpreter, anywhere. It has no memory or other protections. If this sounds bad instead of good to you, go use Linux or Windows and leave me alone. LoseThos is not for everybody. You like stick or automatic? A kayak or a Titanic?

WARNING: LoseThos is nonstandard. Test-drive the live CD to see something new and elegant, even if you don't become a user. Almost everything works in live CD mode because there is a RAM drive you can play with (B:). If you like it and can afford to try something nonstandard, install it from the same live CD.

> 64-bit x86 Kernel with Multicore support.
> 64-bit Compiler/Assembler, flavor of C/C++. More than C, less than C++ and different.
> Source files and the command line window can have graphics, links, icons, trees, colors,
margins -- everything is seamless and uncluttered. No resource, object or executable files. > 64-bit pointers. Physical addresses are used at all times. Single, system-wide, address map. (Virtual addresses identity mapped to physical.) All memory, even more than 4 Gig, can be accessed by all tasks at all times, directly. It's as though the CPU paging feature is not used.
> Highest CPU privileged mode at all times. No off-limits instructions. No time lost changing modes. What? You need a nanny?
> Switches tasks in half a microsecond.
> CD/DVD reading and writing, ISO9660 file system
> 640x480 16 Color VGA Graphics
> Boot loaders for CD-ROM or hard disk
> Keyboards & Mice
> Hard Drives, Support for FAT32 and LoseThos native file systems, File compression
> Graphics Library
> Tools/Utilities including Profiler
> Demos and Documentation
> Games
> Bible and hymns
> All source code included, including the 64-bit compiler! Only compiles natively -- you can't use gcc. Instead, boot LoseThos to compile.