Run Linux in your Browser JSLinux (Update) | Hacker News Reader

Run Linux in your Browser JSLinux (Update)

109 pointsjs4all33 comments

Have you noticed the update?

  - There is clipboard support (bi-directional)
  - It runs on Chromium 13
  - It runs on iPad!! 
    (If it does not take your input, set the focus to the
     clipboard edit box)

http://bellard.org/jslinux/

And as a side-note, Tom has ported JSLinux to node.js

https://groups.google.com/d/topic/nodejs/B0OUf_Bd15E/discussion

View on HN

I am a demanding luser. My javascript coding skills are non-existent, and I recognize that I'm asking for the moon on a stick here, and HN isn't the right place to make feature requests anyway.

But I'd love to see some extra features ...

What I'd like to see?

1. Support for loading and mounting additional read-only filesystem images embedded within the web page (presumably serialized and encoded in Base64 or something).

2. Support for a translucent FS, to allow writes to a ramdisk to show up on top of the aforementioned read-only FS images.

3. Support for writing out an updated copy of the JSLinux HTML file, with a saved copy of the read-only filesystem, including changes merged in from a translucent mount.

(In other words: you can edit files on a designated filesystem, then "save" the VM webpage and get a new copy of JSLinux with your edits added to the external filesystem so they're there next time you fire it up..)

4. For added fun (but arguably this is an entirely different requirement), I'd like to see a version of JSLinux merged with TiddlyWiki, so you'd have a combined TiddlyWiki (for documentation) with a virtual Linux environment (terminal only) embedded in it, and the ability to save changes.

You'd then have a single file containing (a) a hypertext documentation system and (b) a command line Linux environment.

I would ... well, "killing" is too strong a word; but I'd probably move into it for good, using vi and MultiMarkDown for book production and small-scale programming projects and TiddlyWiki to keep track of ideas and notes.

A complete list:

    added support for more browsers including Opera 11.11 and __Internet Explorer 9__
    reduced VM RAM size from 32 MB to 16 MB.
    Source code release of the Linux starter utility.
    added a clipboard to exchange data between the VM and the host
    added FAQ and News pages
    fixed monospace font for some browsers.
    fixed binary XHR for Firefox nightly builds
    fixed terminal height for the less command
    fixed ampersand output in the terminal.

This running on the iPad is the win of the hacking, curiosity and intelligence over the closeness. As without any good reason (IMHO) such a project would never be approved as an app by Apple.

I felt the same seeing this running on the iPad. Fantastic.

I have a feeling the 'Fruit's hands are going to stretch and block this app by some idiotic reasoning. If they can claim 'app store' they can do anything. urgh..

Clickable link: http://bellard.org/jslinux/

It still doesn't work on my Chrome v13.0.767.1 dev on OSX. Nevertheless, I'm glad to see the project is moving fast forward.

Neither does it on Chrome 13.0.767.1 (Official Build 85531) dev Linux (much like the previous version; it gets stuck on "Freeing unused kernel memory").

Check this message:

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/nodejs/B0OUf_Bd15E/vq7D0i0k4...

Neither on Konqueror 4.5.5 -- hangs, then crashes the browser after a while. I wonder if 4.6.3 (current) is any better.

Seems to work fine in Safari however.

It still doesn't make coffee, but I expect it won't be long now. My mind is still blown.

It works on Android stock browser (Nexus One with Gingerbread), but it's very slow, especially on boot.

I've tried to compile http://bellard.org/mersenne.html, alas not enough memory. Pity, that would be full win.

Amazing, this guy is impressive.

BTW. It would be really nice to include an SSH client to JSLinux.

I agree with you, however.. you'll notice that it currently only has a loopback device (try "ifconfig"). It would help if there were network adapters, first :).

In Opera 11.11, I seem to get a max of 8 instances going, but not more. Is there a technical limitation, or a deliberate restriction?

Memory seems to be OK, the browser is just past a Gig. Although this is a 32-bit OS, I don't see a memory issue.

Virtual memory usage might be at 2 gigs?

Works great on Chrome 11.0.696.68 running on OS X 10.6.7. I'll be keeping an eye on this project. Great work.

Damn, that page (bellard.org) is full of awesomeness... Pardon for my ignorance, but who is this guy?

In addition to running on iPad, it also runs on Safari (5.0.5, snow leopard) now.

Where's gcc? ;-)

no gcc but you can use tcc which is developed by Fabrice Bellard too :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiny_C_Compiler

Whats the point of this? Is it useful?

Why don't you try doing something cool with it and let us know?

I'm wondering when he releases the clipboard source code. On the kernel side it's a custom character device. Currently he is violating the GPL. :-(

He released the linux starter (BIOS) though. There is still hope. BTW. the starter contains assembler code. It is amazing to see this running in the browser.

Not really (and please hear me out!). The last thread had a few amazed commenter's remarking that they were surprised that there was a C compiler, or that they could do various things within it. The amazing part is that an x86 emulator was made that could start up a linux image - everything else is kind of obvious that it should work at that point since the x86 emulator was written so well.

So the amazing part is the emulator - everything else including the assembly etc should just work because well - it's supposed to!

Actually he isn't violating the GPL. The GPL states that you have to make it available when requested, and as a mechanism of your choosing. It doesn't say you have to put the source code on the web so that others can access it easily.

I'm tired of people screaming GPL violation because the source code isn't posted online for their perusal.

Edit to add:

Also of note, in the tarball that he provides is the patch to the Linux 2.6.20 sources that he uses. Which... is the sources for the clipboard. Did you even look to see if the sources were available?

Deleting the comment that this was in (the new iPhone app doesn't let me edit my comment unless I missed something)

Ick, you’re right. I've looked at the tarball one or two days ago, and there was no source for the clipboard.

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