The genius person behind this project is Fabrice Bellard, who emulated linux operating system into web browser via javascript. Fabrice Bellard has demonstrated a Linux OS 2.6.20 kernel emulated in a browser. The emulator is written purely in Javascript using Typed Arrays which are available in recent browser. It was tested in Firefox 4 and Chrome 11 on Windows, Mac and Linux. It may run in any recent browsers as long as it supports a fast Javascript engine.
The emulated hardware consists in:
- a 32 bit x86 compatible CPU
- a 8259 Programmble Interrupt Controller
- a 8254 Programmble Interrupt Timer
- a 16450 UART.
It was tested with Firefox 4 and Google Chrome 11 on Linux, Window and Mac (it does not work with Chrome 12 beta. As far as I know, it is a bug in the browser). In any case, a fast Javascript engine is needed to have good performance.
You can try yourself to run the Linux OS in a browser via this emulator http://bellard.org/jslinux/
So what do you think about it? will it help you to understand/practice linux? write in the comment section below.
