[Mono-dev] [Mono-devel-list] Operating System in C# Project

[Suresh Shukla]

> As for the runtime being managed-- that depends on the ability to
> translate the entirety of it's CIL to 100% unmanaged code (without
> runtime-support). I'd say this is where the real challenge is.

CIL required for this task requires to be identified. One good point to start the project can be rewriting of an OS (preferably MINIX) in C# and to find the CIL generated. This would give fair idea of how much work is required. Also if language has all constructs to support our task.

> It would also provide a way to create unmanaged ELF
> executables based on C# software.

You are right on the nail. Combined with the above resulting OS and CIL-native  compiler this would allow system programming in C#.

Mono AOT and DotGNU runtime already have something on this. 
I found this interesting: http://dotgnu.info/html2.0/pnet.html

William Lahti <xfurious at gmail.com> wrote: Hello, Suresh!

Your managed OS idea intrigues me. I have been working on a
Linux-based OS which uses C# solutions for as much of the high-level
(non-OS level) stuff like the boot agent, toolkit, OS tools, etc.
Perhaps that code would be usefuI for your project? I have been
considering doing C# rewrites of UNIX tools too.

In any case, I am very interested in this project and would like to
help/participate.

Kernel and user space code translation shouldn't be all too difficult,
considering mono does just that. Assuming the translated code would
still require a runtime, mono's AOT facilities could handle this.

As for the runtime being managed-- that depends on the ability to
translate the entirety of it's CIL to 100% unmanaged code (without
runtime-support). I'd say this is where the real challenge is.

Yeah, the ability to generate fully-native executable files instead of
shared libraries when invoking AOT compilation... perhaps instead of a
new tool, this change could be implemented as another mono runtime
compilation option like AOT (IE, mono --native or such). This would
minimize the amount of redundant work, and since it would be right in
the runtime, the checks for runtime-dependent code would probably be
easier/complete. It would also provide a way to create unmanaged ELF
executables based on C# software.

Another idea: a subset of C# could be defined so the compiler can
report runtime-dependent code as errors...

On 9/28/06, Suresh Shukla  wrote:
> This is very interesting idea.
>
> I had been thinking about this for some time. To bring the language
> cleanliness and clarity of Java / C# down to OS layer.
>
> The OS I have in my focus is mikrokernel based distributed servers
> architecture, actually MINIX. Minix brings many best practices and
> cleanliness from OS side.
>
> In my opinion a compiler for generating native code from C# would be
> required. Then the task could boil down to a port/rewrite of MINIX.
>
> Suresh
>
>
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