News You can (sort of) run Linux on an NES — demo shows a Unix-like OS running completely on the NES

[Admin]

A tech enthusiast was able to run a Unix-like operating system on the NES using completely original hardware.

You can (sort of) run Linux on an NES — demo shows a Unix-like OS running completely on the NES : Read more

 

[bit_user]

First, I've got to say: Linux doesn't belong anywhere near the headline! This is really nothing to do with Linux!
(Edit: thanks for the update! : )

It seems to me like a NES or perhaps Famicom should be pretty comparable to computers from the 1960's. So, if you stick to OS technology of that era (and that should include Multics and the original Bell Labs' UNIX), you might have a workable plan.

What would be more useful is probably to port an OS kernel people might use on microcontrollers to it, though. I have no real sense of what's out there, but I'd imagine there should be something worthwhile.

Anyway, I think it's just awfully hard to do anything that's general, practical, and useful with even 32 kB of memory. It'd probably always be too much of a toy. The N64 though? Now we're talkin!

 

[Darkoverlordofdata]

"... decided to use a Unix-like operating system rather than an actual Linux distribution."
Um, Linux is a Unix-like OS.

"... Unix-like OSes include MacOS and even arguably Windows"
No, MacOS *is* Unix, not Unix-like...
Windows? No not any where like Unix.

I used to work at MS, I can tell you it was designed to be the Unix Killer.

 

[brandonjclark]

This is a cool project...

SourMesen/Mesen2: Multi-system emulator (NES, SNES, GB, PCE, SMS/GG) for Windows, Linux and macOS (github.com)

 

[bit_user]

"... Unix-like OSes include MacOS and even arguably Windows"
No, MacOS *is* Unix, not Unix-like...

It has some UNIX roots, but saying it is UNIX is a serious overstatement.

"Although the BSD portion of OS X is primarily derived from FreeBSD, some changes have been made:
...
In addition, several new features have been added that are specific to the OS X
...
Although the BSD layer of OS X is derived from 4.4BSD, keep in mind that it is not identical to 4.4BSD. Some functionality of 4.4 BSD has not been included in OS X. Some new functionality has been added.
...
Updated: 2013-08-08

Source: https://developer.apple.com/library...win/Conceptual/KernelProgramming/BSD/BSD.html
​

Furthermore, the kernel of OS X is famously derived from the Mach microkernel, which is not BSD-related.

https://developer.apple.com/library...n/Conceptual/KernelProgramming/Mach/Mach.html
​

So, we can see a definite lineage exists from parts of OS X back to UNIX (via FreeBSD, which has its own complex relationship to the original AT&T UNIX), but you really can't say it is UNIX.