Protocol
05-11-2004, 01:14 PM
I'm looking for people who are interested in Machine Code.
I've been going back and forth with different engineers about a concept computing system that has all of the features we'd all die for. Here's the rundown. Keep in mind that I am aware this is not only problematic, but expensive and a bit dreamy at times, but all inventions and innovations can be...
I was wondering...what would we all do if the world suddenly woke up after an asteroid-hit (hypothetical), and all of technology was wiped out. What would we do if we had to do it all over again. What if we, as technicians, were given the task of designing and building the ultimate in cheap, yet extremely powerful and efficient home computing, but were given all of the knowledge we had before the wipe-out of old (or current) technology.
In a nutshell...everyone's responses to me involve Machine Code in many ways. Since Windows, Mac and even Linux OS all run on higher-order commands written in languages similar to "C" (not going for technical awards here folks, if I get the wording wrong just look the other way), their usage of the processor CAN be pretty redundant at times.
Here is a concept computer that I've been toying with while in the breakroom while on break from coding:
A computer that that looks like a flat-screen monitor with a keyboard and optical, wireless mouse. The DVD-RW drive is build into the keyboard. The computer is made of PIC-like chips that each have their own modular function in life. One of thse chips is the OS.
It is hardware-driven and thus is impervious (to most any degree) from virus attacks on the OS. It also eans that the computer could be turned on and off without any boot up, or boot down time (like a TV).
The cooling system would be insane and work with aerodynamic flow (using almost German-like engineering), treating airflow inside the computer like a sensitive environment (overheating being one of the mjor causes of crashes today). Almost like how Bose built their accoustic amplifier.
Here's the fun and controversial part:
The entire computer runs Machine code. Every program is completely re-written by large groups in Machine Code. Start with the basics like, mouse movement, graphics (such as panels), writing tools, drawing tools, internet browsers, e-mail tools, etc. Even include (standard), a VERY straight-forward WYSIWYG program that helps users build their own simple or complex programs for this OS/Hardware computer.
The advantage is (as long as this thing were COMPLETELY tested before being signed off), there would be no blue screen of death. There would also be no "clicking Print and waiting for 50 seconds before anything happens".
Using a Reduced Instruction Set Processor alongside Harvard Architecture, even a 25MHz computer would run like a 5GHz computer, just without any similar crashes.
I could go on and on, but I want to keep this short. For the most part, it is all possible. The biggest set-back is not cost, or imagination...rather TIME! This would be a beast and would only be possible as an open-source project similar to the efforts made by the Linux and SETI comunity.
It would be the People's Computer. Open source code, and open design hardware. PIC chips are a bit out of date nowadays, I think ARM chips have replaced them, but to put cost into perspective, the PIC chip that could run the entire mainframe costs $4.00. Even if the graphics engine had a dedicated processor...only another $4.00.
It would be amazing to see people cluster together in an organized network and modularly work on a computer that looks like a PC or Mac, is completely modifiable like a Linux system, but runs, costs and interfaces like NOTHING we've ever seen.
The Mac was made in a garage. I can't recall the Windows story completely, but let's just say it's a tainted little thing. Linux is the underdog in higher-level OS's, but this would be starting from scratch with all our knowledge.
For instance, most of Microsoft's issues stem from being sooooo compatible. They need/want to be compatible with everything ever made (taking under consideration that they are also the block-bully most of the time). 3rd party issues are also a MAJOR factor, but this OS is locked in hardware and could be developed so that when a 3rd party program locks up, the OS tells you IN ENGLISH what happened, how it happened and what you can do to prevent it from happening again. It then either shuts the 3rd party program down and displays the main OS workspace, or restarts the application. The OS could even be made to detect when it is losing balance and cotrol of the program and is about to become unstable. Thus any crash (due to 3rd party software), would be displayed as a "Hurry up and Save" or even auto "Save As" function before it ever happened.
I have been delving into RISC Machine Code for a few weeks for a current project and I'm just AMAZED as to what can be done! All these other OS's are amazing (don't get me wrong), it's just with Harvard Architecture and RISC processing, 1 single cycle out of 500,000,000 (5 Hundred Million or "500MHz") could be any command you want. The similar command (even in efficient languages such as "C"), would take a few more cycles. Thus Machine Code can be up to 20 times faster than current coding schemes and your 25MHz computer would/could act something like a 5GHz computer.
I am going to be wrong on some points here (I am no god), but the idea is to promote the very idea and get your feedback with such an interesting adventure. EVERYTHING can be solved, the idea would be to solve it efficiently in the long-run (stabilty for the user), not just the short-run (ease for the coding team).
What are your thoughts?
Protocol
I've been going back and forth with different engineers about a concept computing system that has all of the features we'd all die for. Here's the rundown. Keep in mind that I am aware this is not only problematic, but expensive and a bit dreamy at times, but all inventions and innovations can be...
I was wondering...what would we all do if the world suddenly woke up after an asteroid-hit (hypothetical), and all of technology was wiped out. What would we do if we had to do it all over again. What if we, as technicians, were given the task of designing and building the ultimate in cheap, yet extremely powerful and efficient home computing, but were given all of the knowledge we had before the wipe-out of old (or current) technology.
In a nutshell...everyone's responses to me involve Machine Code in many ways. Since Windows, Mac and even Linux OS all run on higher-order commands written in languages similar to "C" (not going for technical awards here folks, if I get the wording wrong just look the other way), their usage of the processor CAN be pretty redundant at times.
Here is a concept computer that I've been toying with while in the breakroom while on break from coding:
A computer that that looks like a flat-screen monitor with a keyboard and optical, wireless mouse. The DVD-RW drive is build into the keyboard. The computer is made of PIC-like chips that each have their own modular function in life. One of thse chips is the OS.
It is hardware-driven and thus is impervious (to most any degree) from virus attacks on the OS. It also eans that the computer could be turned on and off without any boot up, or boot down time (like a TV).
The cooling system would be insane and work with aerodynamic flow (using almost German-like engineering), treating airflow inside the computer like a sensitive environment (overheating being one of the mjor causes of crashes today). Almost like how Bose built their accoustic amplifier.
Here's the fun and controversial part:
The entire computer runs Machine code. Every program is completely re-written by large groups in Machine Code. Start with the basics like, mouse movement, graphics (such as panels), writing tools, drawing tools, internet browsers, e-mail tools, etc. Even include (standard), a VERY straight-forward WYSIWYG program that helps users build their own simple or complex programs for this OS/Hardware computer.
The advantage is (as long as this thing were COMPLETELY tested before being signed off), there would be no blue screen of death. There would also be no "clicking Print and waiting for 50 seconds before anything happens".
Using a Reduced Instruction Set Processor alongside Harvard Architecture, even a 25MHz computer would run like a 5GHz computer, just without any similar crashes.
I could go on and on, but I want to keep this short. For the most part, it is all possible. The biggest set-back is not cost, or imagination...rather TIME! This would be a beast and would only be possible as an open-source project similar to the efforts made by the Linux and SETI comunity.
It would be the People's Computer. Open source code, and open design hardware. PIC chips are a bit out of date nowadays, I think ARM chips have replaced them, but to put cost into perspective, the PIC chip that could run the entire mainframe costs $4.00. Even if the graphics engine had a dedicated processor...only another $4.00.
It would be amazing to see people cluster together in an organized network and modularly work on a computer that looks like a PC or Mac, is completely modifiable like a Linux system, but runs, costs and interfaces like NOTHING we've ever seen.
The Mac was made in a garage. I can't recall the Windows story completely, but let's just say it's a tainted little thing. Linux is the underdog in higher-level OS's, but this would be starting from scratch with all our knowledge.
For instance, most of Microsoft's issues stem from being sooooo compatible. They need/want to be compatible with everything ever made (taking under consideration that they are also the block-bully most of the time). 3rd party issues are also a MAJOR factor, but this OS is locked in hardware and could be developed so that when a 3rd party program locks up, the OS tells you IN ENGLISH what happened, how it happened and what you can do to prevent it from happening again. It then either shuts the 3rd party program down and displays the main OS workspace, or restarts the application. The OS could even be made to detect when it is losing balance and cotrol of the program and is about to become unstable. Thus any crash (due to 3rd party software), would be displayed as a "Hurry up and Save" or even auto "Save As" function before it ever happened.
I have been delving into RISC Machine Code for a few weeks for a current project and I'm just AMAZED as to what can be done! All these other OS's are amazing (don't get me wrong), it's just with Harvard Architecture and RISC processing, 1 single cycle out of 500,000,000 (5 Hundred Million or "500MHz") could be any command you want. The similar command (even in efficient languages such as "C"), would take a few more cycles. Thus Machine Code can be up to 20 times faster than current coding schemes and your 25MHz computer would/could act something like a 5GHz computer.
I am going to be wrong on some points here (I am no god), but the idea is to promote the very idea and get your feedback with such an interesting adventure. EVERYTHING can be solved, the idea would be to solve it efficiently in the long-run (stabilty for the user), not just the short-run (ease for the coding team).
What are your thoughts?
Protocol