KolibriOS

Last updated
KolibriOS
KolibriOS logo, summer 2024.png
KolibriOS desktop, summer 2024.png
Developer KolibriOS Project Team
Written in FASM
Working stateActive
Source model Open source
Latest release 0.7.7.0+8770 / August 1, 2024;3 months ago (2024-08-01) [1] [2]
Repository git.kolibrios.org
Available in English, Russian, Italian, Spanish
Platforms x86
Kernel type Monolithic [3]
Default
user interface 		KolibriOS Kernel API
License GPL-2.0-only with binary blobs [4]
Preceded by MenuetOS
Official website www.kolibrios.org

KolibriOS is an open-source operating system for x86 computers, written completely in FASM assembly language. It has been developed since 2004, forked from MenuetOS, [5] and supports i586 CPUs or newer. [6] KolibriOS is small sized and fits on a single 3.5" floppy disk; despite this, it features a full graphical user interface, preemptive multitasking, networking capabilities, and many pieces of bundled software.

Contents

The name "Kolibri" is the Russian word for hummingbird (Колибри) and symbolizes the operating system's tiny size and fast speed.

Development

KolibriOS was forked from MenuetOS, a similar operating system that was built in 32-bit and 64-bit editions. It attracted much popularity in Russia and a number of other countries in the region, leading to a community contributing to the project. [7] The first version of KolibriOS, meant to be a driver fix for the Russian-language distribution, was released by Marat Zakiyanov "mario79" in 2004. [7] Shortly after the start of the KolibriOS project, MenuetOS's developer decided to only focus on the 64-bit version, which unlike its 32-bit counterpart was closed source. [8] KolibriOS on the other hand has only been developed in 32-bit and remains open source. [7]

KolibriOS has been developed by a number of contributors from different countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Estonia, Germany and Belgium. Distribution assembly is handled by Evgeny Grechnikov or "Diamond". [7]

There are two development branches: KolibriACPI, which has extended ACPI support, and Kolibri-A, an exokernel version of KolibriOS optimized for embedded applications and hardware engineering; only few AMD APU-based platforms are currently supported.

Features

Due to its small size (most distributions will fit on a single 1.44 MB floppy disk image [9] ) and being written in assembly, the OS boots in only a few seconds on various devices. It has support for booting from NTFS, Ext2/3/4, FAT12/16/32, exFAT, and ISO9660 based disks [5] and can also boot from Coreboot and Windows.

KolibriOS has a graphical user interface based on, and optimised for, VESA. It features pre-emptive multitasking, streams, and parallel execution of system calls. It has built-in application software (more than 250 [7] ) such as a word processor, image viewer, music player, and web browser, [5] as well as a code editor with an integrated macro assembler (FASM). KolibriOS features a shell supporting various common commands used on Unix-like systems [10]

Supported hardware

USB 1.1 and 2.0 are supported (UHCI, OHCI and EHCI). There is also support for USB hubs, although the only USB HID devices supported include keyboard, mouse and USB flash drives. Internal hard disks with PATA/IDE and SATA/AHCI interfaces are supported natively. Supported file systems include FAT12, FAT16, FAT32 (long names support), ext2, ext3 and ext4 (partially), CDFS (including multisession, read-only), NTFS (read and write but no extended functions such as encryption) and XFS (read-only).

KolibriOS supports the full TCP/IP stack and certain Ethernet network cards. [11] Intel High Definition Audio is supported on certain motherboards while AC'97 codec support exists for various chipsets including: Intel, nForce, nForce2, nForce3, nForce4, SIS7012, FM801, VT8233, VT8233C, VT8235, VT8237, VT8237R, VT8237R Plus and EMU10K1X. Video is claimed to work on any card and drivers are available for specific Intel or AMD cards.

System requirements are:

Reception

In a 2009 review piece on alternative operating systems, TechRadar called it "tremendously impressive", noting its performance and streamlined codebase. [13]

Dedoimedo.com reviewed KolibriOS in 2012: [14]

I allocated a more than sufficient 64MB of RAM to KolibriOS and let it fly. Now, to really show you how fast this thing is, I recorded a boot session. It shows the simple KolibriOS boot menu. Next, I press the Enter key. Soon thereafter, we are inside a fully functional desktop. How soon? Well, you can enjoy the video embedded below or follow the Youtube link if you hate embedded stuff. Now, keep your eyes on the screen, as the video is rather short. I mean, really, really short.

Jesse Smith from DistroWatch Weekly wrote the following review about KolibriOS in 2009: [15]

The application menu is broken down into familiar groupings, such as Development, Games, Data Processing, Network and Help. There are also demo programs showing off various graphics and screensavers. Programs are easy to find and most applications work well. The help documentation is a bit scattered, as it covers a number of different topics, but there doesn't seem to be a pattern to what is explained and what isn't. In short, finding help is hit or miss, but what is explained is done so clearly.

In 2024, Simon Batt of XDA Developers wrote that KolibriOS is "charming" and that it is "perfect" for giving new life to older PCs. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BIOS</span> Firmware for hardware initialization and OS runtime services

In computing, BIOS is firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs and to perform hardware initialization during the booting process. The firmware comes pre-installed on the computer's motherboard.

File Allocation Table (FAT) is a file system developed for personal computers and was the default filesystem for the MS-DOS and Windows 9x operating systems. Originally developed in 1977 for use on floppy disks, it was adapted for use on hard disks and other devices. The increase in disk drive capacity over time drove modifications to the design that resulted in versions: FAT12, FAT16, FAT32, and exFAT. FAT was replaced with NTFS as the default file system on Microsoft operating systems starting with Windows XP. Nevertheless, FAT continues to be commonly used on relatively small capacity solid-state storage technologies such as SD card, MultiMediaCard (MMC) and eMMC because of its compatibility and ease of implementation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FreeDOS</span> Open source clone of MS-DOS

FreeDOS is a free software operating system for IBM PC compatible computers developed since 1994. It intends to provide a complete MS-DOS-compatible environment for running legacy software and supporting embedded systems. FreeDOS can be booted from a floppy disk or USB flash drive and is designed to run well under virtualization or x86 emulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MenuetOS</span> Operating system

MenuetOS is an operating system with a monolithic preemptive, real-time kernel written in FASM assembly language. The system also includes video drivers. It runs on 64-bit and 32-bit x86 architecture computers. Its author is Ville M. Turjanmaa. It has a graphical desktop, games, and networking abilities. One distinctive feature is that it fits on one 1.44 MB floppy disk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FASM</span> Open source assembler for x86 processors

FASM is an assembler for x86 processors. It supports Intel-style assembly language on the IA-32 and x86-64 computer architectures. It claims high speed, size optimizations, operating system (OS) portability, and macro abilities. It is a low-level assembler and intentionally uses very few command-line options. It is free and open-source software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SYSLINUX</span> Bootloader suite for Linux operating system

The Syslinux Project is a suite of five different boot loaders for starting up Linux distros on computers. It was primarily developed by H. Peter Anvin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SystemRescue</span> Linux distribution

SystemRescue is a Linux distribution for x86-64 and IA-32 computers. The primary purpose of SystemRescue is to repair unbootable or otherwise damaged computer systems after a system crash. SystemRescue is not intended to be used as a permanent operating system. It runs from a Live CD, a USB flash drive or any type of hard drive. It was designed by a team led by François Dupoux, and is based on Arch Linux since version 6.0. Starting with version 6.0, it has systemd as its init system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multi-booting</span> Act of installing multiple operating systems on a single computer

Multi-booting is the act of installing multiple operating systems on a single computer, and being able to choose which one to boot. The term dual-booting refers to the common configuration of specifically two operating systems. Multi-booting may require a custom boot loader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PCLinuxOS</span> Linux distribution

PCLinuxOS, often shortened to PCLOS, is a rolling release Linux distribution for x86-64 computers, with KDE Plasma, MATE, and XFCE as its default user interfaces. It is a primarily FOSS operating system for personal computers aimed at ease of use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFI</span> Technical specification for firmware architecture

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface is a specification for the firmware architecture of a computing platform. When a computer is powered on, the UEFI-implementation is typically the first that runs, before starting the operating system. Examples include AMI Aptio, Phoenix SecureCore, TianoCore EDK II, InsydeH2O.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">File system</span> Computer filing system

In computing, a file system or filesystem governs file organization and access. A local file system is a capability of an operating system that services the applications running on the same computer. A distributed file system is a protocol that provides file access between networked computers.

Puppy Linux is a family of light-weight Linux distributions that focus on ease of use and minimal memory footprint. The entire system can be run from random-access memory (RAM) with current versions generally taking up about 600 MB (64-bit), 300 MB (32-bit), allowing the boot medium to be removed after the operating system has started. Applications such as AbiWord, Gnumeric and MPlayer are included, along with a choice of lightweight web browsers and a utility for downloading other packages. The distribution was originally developed by Barry Kauler and other members of the community, until Kauler retired in 2013. The tool Woof can build a Puppy Linux distribution from the binary packages of other Linux distributions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hackintosh</span> Non-Apple computer running macOS

A Hackintosh is a computer that runs Apple's operating system macOS on computer hardware that is not authorized for the purpose by Apple. This can also include running Mac software on hardware it is not originally authorized for. This is due to the software license for macOS only permitting its use on in-house hardware built by Apple itself, in this case the Mac line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live USB</span> USB drive with a full bootable operating system

A live USB is a portable USB-attached external data storage device containing a full operating system that can be booted from. The term is reminiscent of USB flash drives but may encompass an external hard disk drive or solid-state drive, though they may be referred to as "live HDD" and "live SSD" respectively. They are the evolutionary next step after live CDs, but with the added benefit of writable storage, allowing customizations to the booted operating system. Live USBs can be used in embedded systems for system administration, data recovery, or test driving, and can persistently save settings and install software packages on the USB device.

A volume boot record (VBR) is a type of boot sector introduced by the IBM Personal Computer. It may be found on a partitioned data storage device, such as a hard disk, or an unpartitioned device, such as a floppy disk, and contains machine code for bootstrapping programs stored in other parts of the device. On non-partitioned storage devices, it is the first sector of the device. On partitioned devices, it is the first sector of an individual partition on the device, with the first sector of the entire device being a Master Boot Record (MBR) containing the partition table.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SliTaz</span> Linux distribution

SliTaz GNU/Linux is a lightweight Linux distribution, community-based, suitable for use on older hardware and as a Live CD or Live USB. SliTaz stands for "Simple, Light, Incredible, Temporary Autonomous Zone" according to the boot screen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android-x86</span> Unofficial port of the Android mobile operating system

Android-x86 is an open source project that makes an unofficial porting of the Android mobile operating system developed by the Open Handset Alliance to run on devices powered by x86 processors, rather than RISC-based ARM chips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MX Linux</span> Mid-weight family of operating systems

MX Linux is a Linux distribution based on Debian stable and using core antiX components, with additional software created or packaged by the MX community. The development of MX Linux is a collaborative effort between the antiX and former MEPIS communities. The MX name comes from the "M" in MEPIS and the "X" in antiX — an acknowledgment of their roots. The community's stated goal is to produce "a family of operating systems that are designed to combine elegant and efficient desktops with high stability and solid performance".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ArcaOS</span> Computer operating system based on IBMs OS/2 Warp

ArcaOS is a proprietary operating system based on OS/2, developed and marketed by Arca Noae, LLC under license from IBM. It was first released in 2017 and builds on OS/2 Warp 4.52 by adding support for new hardware, fixing defects and limitations in the operating system, and by including new applications and tools, and includes some Linux/Unix tool compatibility. It is targeted at professional users who need to run their OS/2 applications on new hardware, as well as personal users of OS/2.

References

  1. ↑ "Kolibri Releases". archive.kolibrios.org. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  2. ↑ "Index". builds.kolibrios.org. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  3. ↑ Boris Ya. Sovetov; Vladislav V. Cehanovsky (2018). Информационные Технологии [Information Technologies] (in Russian) (7th ed.). Moscow, Russia: Urait. p. 243. ISBN   978-5-534-00048-1.
  4. ↑ Is there any proprietary software in this? Board.KolibriOS.org, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "KolibriOS official site". www.kolibrios.org. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
  6. 1 2 Bärwaldt, Erik (2017). "Little Friend". Linux Magazine (204). ISSN   1471-5678.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "KolibriOS: дайте ей шанс полетать на вашем компьютере::Журнал СА 3.2007". samag.ru. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  8. ↑ "64Bit MenuetOS 0.64 Released – OSnews" . Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  9. ↑ I Gede Partha Sindu, S.P.M.P. (July 21, 2021). "Bab 6: Open Source". Dasar Sistem Komputer [Basics of Computer Systems] (in Indonesian). Depok, Indonesia: Raja Grafindo Persada. p. 220. ISBN   978-602-425-381-3.
  10. ↑ "Shell - KolibriOS wiki".
  11. ↑ "Hardware Support - KolibriOS wiki".
  12. ↑ "KolibriOS – A tiny operating system on a 1.44MB floppy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-29.
  13. ↑ "10 operating systems you've never heard of". TechRadar . 2009-12-20. ISSN   2190-9717.
  14. ↑ Ljubuncic, Igor (2012-03-16). "KolibriOS - The art of small". Dedoimedo.
  15. ↑ DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 318, 31 August 2009
  16. ↑ Batt, Simon (2024-10-25). "I ran an OS off a floppy disk and here's how it went". XDA. Retrieved 2024-11-22.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.