Java high level operating system

Is it possible to use the Java VM as a base operating system kernal?

The reason I ask is because if I were to make a Java command prompt and the basic things to make a DOS like OS, JVM would interpret that into bytecode and then into machine code on demand.

Java has access to low level stuff, how would it be possible to use the JVM as a kernal?

I’ve read about IBM’s Virtual Machine and how it was used, why can’t we do the same with Java?

[quote]Is it possible to use the Java VM as a base operating system kernal?
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I only know about JNode, it is a (beta) java OS.
Anyone else knows about such project?

Yes it is. It’s very interesting. Do you know how is computer booting? First is transfered a small chunk that will switch the CPU into 32, and then possibly to 64 bit mode. If you’d like to have a JIT OS you offten need to transfer a larger chunk, that would alow safe image loading, hashing, and an activation of device drivers. And of course prepare ground for JIT. If OS is booting for first time, or CPU was changed it would need to compile / recompile the JIT. Best idea is to connect it with an executable cache and an extended antivirus measures.

JVM.dll in the SDK is designed to be on the top of an existing OS, not as a base of OS. JITs needs slightly different design for JIT / hotspoted OS.

Interesting.
Could JNode run Windows games or other Win32/64 programs?

[quote]Interesting.
Could JNode run Windows games or other Win32/64 programs?
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You could port something the Boch to Java, which would be very intresting.
Or, if JNode is running on an x86, maybe VMware, or maybe even Wine could be ported, but both would require some JNI based hoop jumping.

A new story on java.sun.com sure sounds like a huge step forward to Java becoming an OS. (really this just leaves out drivers for that MVM, which is still a good place to put a stripped down Linux(or other) kernel)
The Multi-Tasking Virtual Machine: Building a Highly Scalable JVM
http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/Programming/mvm/

Also from article:
“Moreover, the Java Platform might not be limited to programs written in the Java language: one can have programs written in various programming languages that target JVM bytecodes, and such applications can co-exist in the same JVM due to MVM’s scalable isolation techniques.”

Mm… what would Java OS really mean?

I mean would it be just an another operating system like windows, linux and unixes are, or would it be something greater? What i have read of, Java is pretty safe language, so would it mean less viruses? Or the opposite, Java seems to run a little slower (or it needs more memory/resources) than like for example a c++ program, so would the Java OS be slower?

Managed memory is faster and more efficient than unmanaged memory so I would believe that Java as an OS would be fast.

[quote]Mm… what would Java OS really mean?

I mean would it be just an another operating system like windows, linux and unixes are, or would it be something greater? What i have read of, Java is pretty safe language, so would it mean less viruses? Or the opposite, Java seems to run a little slower (or it needs more memory/resources) than like for example a c++ program, so would the Java OS be slower?
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