Always Bet on JS:
The Convergence of Operating System and Browser
Nick Desaulniers
Clarification
The Browser and OS are distinct pieces of software, but going forward will be less distinct to users than to developers.
Not replacing the kernel, but the window manager to provide the desktop environment.
Some History
- January 2009 - Palm webOS Launched
- July 2009 - Google Chrome/Chromium OS Announced
- November 2009 - Chromium OS Source Code Published
- July 2010 - Joli OS First Release
- February 2011 - HP Acquires Palm
- June 2011 - First Chromebook Ships
- August 2011 - webOS Development Halted
- April 2012 - Samsung Tizen First Release
- July 2012 - Firefox OS Created
- February 2013 - webOS Licensed To Palm
- July 2013 - Firefox OS Devices Begin Shipping To Consumers
Honorable Mentions
Chrome OS
Portability
The ultimate benefit of the web is portability.
"But native apps have better access to hardware!"
Enyo, PhoneGap/Cordova
Doesn't this feel backwards?
Lock into our tool set and we'll give you cross platform.
There is no "Developer Program" for the web.
System Applications Working Group
Most APIs are in the Stable draft (Last Call) of W3C standardization process.
Q1 - Q2 2014 Candidate Recommendation then Recommendation.
- Browser API
- Bluetooth API
- Calendar API
- Network Interface API
- Media Storage API
- Secure Elements API
- Device Capabilities API
- System Settings API
- Idle API
Execution Model
Security Model
Alarm API
Contacts API
Messaging API
Telephony API
Raw Sockets API
Bluetooth API
WebApp Runtime
Performance
"But JavaScript doesn't have the performance of native!"
- You're app sucks (premature optimization)!
- While you were bike-shedding about what language is the ultimate for everything from kernel development to application development, we made...
- Banana Bread Triple Demo
- Epic Unreal Engine 3 Citadel Demo
But there's no shared memory between threads or inline assembly, so you won't be writing a kernel in JavaScript any time soon.
Mobile Today
Android is King
But...
- Google loses money on Android
- Google appears ready to ditch Android over its intellectual property issues
- Google earns 80% of its mobile revenue from iOS, just 20% from Android
- Andy Rubin Out, Sundar Pichai In, To Run Android For Google
-
Google's Chromecast may have its roots in Android, but it has Chrome as the brand
- Symbian went from 60% marketshare to nothing
Samsung
What happens when the best selling Android handset manufacturer abandons Android for Tizen?
80% of Smartphones
1-1.6 Billion smartphones in use worldwide (est)
7.1 Billion people on Earth (est)
* 80% market share
=
11-18% of people on Earth use an Android device (est)
That leaves A LOT of room for growth
Platforms without mmap
In order for a JIT compiler to work, it must be able to ask the operating system for executable virtual memory. If the required system call is not available to user land, then generated code may not be executed.
HTML5 Battle Plan
What can HTML5 do to take over the world?
- More Device APIs
- Consistent Performance Improvements
- Rocking Developer Tools (Demo)
- Partnering with Carriers and Handset Manufacturers
- Target Growing Markets
- ... (What should be added to the list?)
Questions?
Thanks!
Nick Desaulniers
nickdesaulniers.github.io (blog)
JS in OS
By nickdesaulniers
JS in OS
JS in OS
