Is a perfect OS remotely possible?

[cloasters]

With unlimited funds and time, could a perfect OS be created?

[Phiber]

Nope...if its made by man...then nope. . .

[drow_elf]

well if *i* made it it would be

(do i even have to say- j/k!)

but really you might be able to IF: it only ran on one sort of machine and only did one sort of thing (like spreadsheets but not games or visa-versa)

[Áedán]

Yes. I've already done it. It meets it's design criteria perfectly. In fact, it's so advanced, you don't even need to turn the PC on, thus illustrating the impact a perfectly designed OS can have.

What does it do?

Nothing, and it does it darn well too. Better than Billy Boy's OSes.

AidanII

[Áedán]

Originally posted by cloasters
With unlimited funds and time, could a perfect OS be created?

More seriously this time... From when I worked as a software testing engineer, the rule of thumb was that for every 3 bugs you fixed, you introduced a new bug.

Hence, if an OS starts off life with 3000 bugs, the programmers are going to have to fix about 4500 bugs, assuming that no new features are introduced. Of course, the extra 1500 bugs won't be seen until you've fixed the first lot!

The moral behind this? Don't write code with bugs in! Actually, that's impossible, so the moral is to start your product off with as few bugs as possible.

Checking for bugs starts at the design phase (and just who does this?) and works its way all the way down the process.

The problem is, this extends development time, which companies don't like doing in the real world. They'd rather get it out, get the revenue, and then fix any problems. Alas, that approch ends up being more expensive!

So, You wouldn't manage a perfect OS, but you'd manage something far better than we currently have.

AidanII

[Daniel ~]

Time Gentelmen, "Time heals all wounds and wounds all heals" Here that MR. Bill!? ":O}

[Spode]

Before Aidan Picks Up On Me, I know my wordings are wrong, but the concept is right.

OS for single devices work. Like washing machines for instance never crash.

But consider how complated windows has to be. It has to cope with loads of different hardware combinations and many different softwares.

The OSI model is of course a huge help with the hardware issue....

But my point being is that I think it's impressive exactly how good Windows IS. It's far from perfect, but it's GOOD. I think people slag off microsoft too much. After all, we wouldn't be here without him.

And as an answer, no I don't think it's possible. But you name anything in the world (apart from Patti) that's perfect?

[Daniel ~]

Damn I just hate it when people interject reason into a topic concerning Bill! LOL

[cloasters]

Guess I knew the answer before I posted the query. We can but hope!

I must admit that given enough time(for looting the PCing world's pockets) MS does write some good OS's. Gasp! It's extremely difficult for me to avoid mixing my eternal distaste for the robber baron known as Big Brother Billy Bully Boy with the actual strengths and weaknesses of MS's products.

What did that lovable little Yoda say about hatred? It leads to this which leads to that which ain't good?

Guilty, m'Lord.