MenuetOS

For other uses, see Meos (disambiguation).

MenuetOS

Screenshot
Company / developer	Ville M. Turjanmaa
Programmed in	FASM assembly language
Working state	Beta
Source model	Open source (32-bit) Closed source (64-bit)
Initial release	May 16, 2000; 11 years ago (2000-05-16) (32-bit)
Latest stable release	32-bit: 0.85B / July 15, 2010; 15 months ago (2010-07-15) 64-bit: 0.98S / November 11, 2011; 8 days ago (2011-11-11)
Available language(s)	English, Russian, Chinese, Czech, Serbian
Available programming languages(s)	assembly language
Supported platforms	IA-32, x86-64
Kernel type	Monolithic
Default user interface	Graphical user interface
License	GPL v2 (32-bit) Proprietary (64-bit) [1]
Official website	www.menuetos.net

MenuetOS is an operating system with a monolithic preemptive, real-time kernel, including video drivers, all written in FASM assembly language, for 64-bit and 32-bit x86 architecture computers, by Ville M. Turjanmaa. It has a graphical desktop, games, and networking abilities (TCP/IP stack), yet it still fits on one 1.44MB floppy disk.

MenuetOS was originally written for 32-bit x86 architectures and released under the GPL, thus many of its applications are distributed under the GPL. ^[1]

The 64-bit MenuetOS, often referred to as Menuet 64, remains a platform for learning 64-bit assembly language programming. The 64-bit Menuet is distributed without charge for personal and educational use only, but without the source code.^[1]

Menuet 64 works in QEMU which can emulate 64-bit machine atop a 32-bit machine. Multi-core support was added on 24 Feb 2010.

Features

MenuetOS development has focused on fast, simple, efficient implementation. MenuetOS has networking abilities, and a working TCP/IP stack. Most of the networking code is written by Mike Hibbett.

The main focus of Menuet has been on making an environment for easy assembly programming, but it is still possible to run software written in high-level programming languages on the assembler core. The biggest single effort towards high-level language support is Jarek Pelczar's work in porting C libraries to Menuet.

Version 0.98 supports up to 1280x1024 screen resolution with window transparency. It has support for USB 2.0 peripherals. Quake can be played on MenuetOS.^[1]

For disk storage, MenuetOS supports the FAT32 file system.^[2]

Distributions

32-bit

• Menuet32
• GridWorks "EZ" distribution (comprehensive 32-bit archive packages) (CD/HD Boots)

64-bit

The 64-bit main distribution is now proprietary. Several distributions of the 32-bit GPL MenuetOS still exist, including translations in Russian, Chinese, Czech, and Serbian.

• Menuet64

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} (German) MenuetOS: In Assembler geschriebenes Betriebssystem, golem.de, 10 Aug 2009
2. ^ (Russian) Яков Уваров (30 August 2005) Мал золотник, да дорог, Computerra

• David Chisnall (Jun 22, 2007) A Roundup of Free Operating Systems. MenuetOS, informIT
• (German) MenuetOS - 32bit-Betriebssystem auf einer Floppy, Der Standard, 12 May 2003
• Eugenia Loli-Queru (5 Sep 2001) Interview With Ville Turjanmaa, the Creator of MenuetOS, OSNews
• Ville M. Turjanmaa (December 1, 2001) The Menuet Operating System. Packing a lot of punch into a small package, Dr. Dobb's

External links

Free software portal

• Compared to AtheOS and SkyOS as of 2002
• MenuetOS homepage (Menuet64 oriented)
• MenuetOS C Library
• an interview with Ville Turjanmaa and Madis Kalme, two of the MenuetOS developers