The Idea

and some plans that probably never come true

 Posted on April 15, 2022

The Idea

During the last 20 years I often needed tools development tools, from small programs to complete operating systems. But when working for clients there are always requirements like backwards compatibility, cost, deadlines, etc. etc. which means there is no room to experiment.

The idea of Alfheim OS is that I can use it to experiment without needing to worry about things like cost (apart from the time I put in it), backwards compatibility (tomorrows version might be completely different from todays version), deadlines (it is done when it is done, and than there is certainly something else to change).

The Plan

Well there is no plan, at least not one with milestones or deadlines. But I have some ideas on what I want to work on.

  • Get a build system up and running.

  • Get a Linux (Yocto) based OS running with the build system.

  • Get libraries running on the OS.

  • Get applications running with the Libraries.

  • Get a RTOS (FreeRTOS, RTEMS, Zephyr) based OS running with the build system.

I have no intention to actually finish one step until starting the next step, I will just work on what I like best at the moment.

The Name

The name “Alfheim OS” comes from the fact that I am still very interested in stage lighting systems and at some point want to design/produces stage lighting equipment that needs some kind of Operating System. And “Alfheim” is “home of the light elves” in Norse cosmology. which I thought would be a fitting name for an OS.