Jukka, this all sounds like an inspiring idea, kind of like a return to the future of Lisp machines.
1. What kind of uses do you imagine? 2. I am not sure how the phrase 'network OS' connects to the rest of the message. -- Matthias On Jan 5, 2011, at 10:04 AM, Jukka Tuominen wrote: > > Hi all, > > after about a decade's development work, we (Finndesign) are about to > release something that we feel very exited about. It's a network OS called > Liitin and it uses Scheme (Racket) as built-in language. BTW, Liitin means > 'connector' in Finnish and is pronounced like "Lee tin". > > Rational: > There are lots of great free software and snippets out there, but due to > incompatibilities and overall complexity to setup a working environment, > they are often out of the reach of most of us. Or it's just not worth the > trouble. Often data disappears or keeps changing without warning, so > eventhough you know it's out there, it's an unsure and tedios task to > actually utilize it (let alone to build something on top of it). > > Liitin tries to address these problems with some of its key principles: > - The environment is kept static and uniform, so when you create an object, > anybody else can use it instantly without worrying about compatibility. > - Development and dynamicy is done by Liitin objects. You can create an > infinite number of objects and use and share them on the fly. That is, > object are located in a global database, and you can refer to any object > directly without requiring a different set of libraries case by case > (provided that these functions are placed into Liitin once, naturally :). > - Liitin objects can be anything (data, functions, GUI...), and - thanks to > Eli Barzilay's help - you can use them just like Scheme's built-in objects. > For example: > (gaia:fibonacci 10) >> 55 i.e. user Gaia has created a public object > fibonacci. > (mirko:eliza "i feel like singing") >> "do you often feel like singing" > (liitin:script-manager) >> opens a new window that manages scripts > (liitin:object-properties 'gaia:fibonacci) >> opens the source code of the > object for viewing/editing > - Each user has his own namespace, so eventhough you can view/execute/modify > all public objects as you like, you can only do so within your own > namespace. Private objects are also available. > - Persistency is enforced, so that any object ever saved/published, is > always accessible thereafter. > - You can choose whether to call the latest version of the object, or any > earlier version. > - Updates are instant; the author updates the object once and everybody else > will receive the latest version the next time they call the object. > - Best of all, there's nothing to setup, just log into Liitin > > There are many potential ways to utilize Liitin, such as: > - Personal desktop > - innovating new functions or combining existing ones into something new > (visual programming and hardware control on the roadmap) > - Educational usage: teaching, learning, research, final thesis... > - collaborating work: use all the power of existing effort and work on new > projects simultaneously around the globe. > - Building ontologies with built-in functionality (~semantic web) > ... >>> Consider accumulating not only the knowledge of humankind but also > methods (instantly at hand :) > > The main goal is not to build the fastest system out there, but rather an > enabler. Instead of weeks of work, you can create something in hours or > minutes. Instead of not having something done at all, you can and feel like > having it done. > > A lot still needs to be done but we already have a prototype running the > basic functionality. Before passing this into hands of a wider audience > (incl. non-schemers), we would be anctious to hear how you like this kind of > idea? I could also provide a limited number of test accounts over Internet > to allow first hand experience (preferably core Racket developers at this > point). For test account requests, please email me directly. > > So, how does this sound to you? > Possibilities, limitations, threats, questions, ideas? Cool/ not cool? > > br, jukka > > > | J U K K A T U O M I N E N > | m a n a g i n g d i r e c t o r M. A. > | > | Finndesign Kauppiaankatu 13, FI-00160 Helsinki, Finland > | mobile +358 50 5666290 > | jukka.tuomi...@finndesign.fi www.finndesign.fi > > > _________________________________________________ > For list-related administrative tasks: > http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/users _________________________________________________ For list-related administrative tasks: http://lists.racket-lang.org/listinfo/users
