Scratch

Asraelite · 2012-10-14 06:59:23

Hello. I have an idea...
So far, there are lots of OS's out there, but they are all made using a ton of sprites and costumes. What if there was an OS, where every app was programmed, not drawn. E.g., say you wanted a calculator app, instead of drawing a picture of a calculator and buttons, then programming it using Scratch scripts, you could, for example, have a list with this in it:

Size: 150 x 120

Button: button 50 50 50 50 grey (name, x, y, height, width, colour) onclick: set: out 5 + 5; reloadwindow\

Text: out 10 10 30 130 /press the button\

This would just be a simple program that, when you pressed a button, it would show the number 10. You could, of course, make loads of buttons and turn it into a proper calculator, but this is just an example.

If the OS was programmed to read this code, and turn it into a program by stamping a 150 x 120 grey box, stamping text and a button, and listening for when the button is pressed, users could actually write their own applications in an OS without having to draw costumes or anything for them. This would allow people to import apps into their OS by simple pasting some text.

You could also have simple pictures in the OS using vector graphics. E.g. to make a house you would have an image file that said stamp a square here, and a triangle here, and a rectangle here. Making a simple house shape. This would be done by sprites with loads of costumes each of a different shape and colour, quickly moving around the screen stamping.

Just an idea. If anyone wants to try and make an OS like this with me, tell me.

Kenichi10 · 2012-10-14 07:16:20

Good Idea!

...But I think scratch is too slow to do
this kind of thing.

You could probably make this with a
programming language like Visual
Basic.

http://www.vbtutor.net/index.php/vb2010 … roduction/

If you make this on scratch, it'll
probably be very primitive. Although
you could always suprise me. smile

Last edited by Kenichi10 (2012-10-14 07:21:50)

Asraelite · 2012-10-14 07:28:42

I realise how slow Scratch would be to run it, but I know a few programming techniques to speed it up, for example instead of using repeat blocks just use a piece of code over and over. And yes, it will be quite primitive, but it doesn't need to be fancy.

Asraelite · 2013-01-10 14:25:02

Bump.

Ok, I have started serious development on an OS like this. Everything is stamped and it will have full app programming capabilities that runs very fast. How? I invented a type of Scratch object code for it.

Rather than having an object like this: text("Hello"; 10; 10; white), it will have it like this in a list:

item 1 - txt :::::
item 2 - 0
item 3 - Hello
item 4 - 10
item 5 - 10
item 6 - 0

This way, a script doesn't have to make a runner variable go through each letter one by one, but rather item by item in the list, which is much faster. If this text object isn't the object the script is looking for, it can count the number of ":"'s at the top, and skip that many lines down to get to the next object.

When stamping these objects on the stage, rather than running through the entire program each time, it creates "Objects". These are shapes/pieces of text that are on the program at any one time. So, rather than scripting to print text, it will say make a text object. Then once all of these objects are made, it will stamp them all at once.

I have thought of ways to make it run as efficiently as possible and only refresh when it needs to.
I know this sounds a bit far-fetched for Scratch, but if it works, I believe it will be the first of its kind on Scratch so I really want to try.

It is called DeiOS, and it should be released in about a month if all goes well.

Borrego6165 · 2013-01-10 14:28:52

Why complicate things for a primitive version when you could make something truly epic! For example, I've seen loads of platform and adventure games out there, but most of them are very simple and use simple colours. Instead of saying "I know, I'll make a more primitive version to everyone else using a super advanced list of code" I decided to expand on what other people have done, by trying to work out how to make amazing animations and add as many unique powers and traps as possible. So, my advice is either try another program (I'm running Python tutorials on scratch, you might want to try some by clicking on my account) or create something that will push Scratch to its limits, not just to its performance limits.

Last edited by Borrego6165 (2013-01-10 14:29:44)

Asraelite · 2013-01-11 13:03:46

I know the basics and a decent bit of the advanced stuff of Python, and I would program in it, but because I'm far far better in Scratch than any other programming language, I would rather make something that's not that good but amazing for the programming language it's written in that's appreciated, than make something that is better but only average for the language it's in that has been done before.

I want to push Scratch to its very very limits and make it do stuff people thought they would need to go onto another programming language to do.

Asraelite · 2013-01-12 12:16:03

Now on version 0.04 and have basic window functionality complete.

Borrego6165 · 2013-01-12 12:25:31

Asraelite wrote:
I know the basics and a decent bit of the advanced stuff of Python, and I would program in it, but because I'm far far better in Scratch than any other programming language, I would rather make something that's not that good but amazing for the programming language it's written in that's appreciated, than make something that is better but only average for the language it's in that has been done before.

I want to push Scratch to its very very limits and make it do stuff people thought they would need to go onto another programming language to do.

I know how you feel. I made pretty terrible power-point games, but they pushed it to the limits. Although they looked stupid, logically they were amazing. I managed to allow the player to put their cursor next to the character and move the character across platforms in a variety of worlds, and I managed to make a scrolling skateboarding game that I still play today. You can have a look if you like:

Adventure Games on Power-Point

Skateboarding Games on Power-Point

Still, I think you should first try making an epic one (more epic than your chrome one) and then move onto coding one. Imagine what you could do before the coding process. Then, once you are happy with an OS which uses the standard sprites and images, then you could move onto your code system.

MisterDuck · 2013-01-12 19:33:20

I'm getting that you want to make a GUI programming language but also a logic-based programming language.

It would be a pain to make a parsing engine to fit this, and the complexity would be VERY complex. Try making a console-based PL first so you can get the grips of making a basic PL (I'm making one right now).

If you want to do this still, I would recommend doing it in another PL like Python, C++, or Javascript (probably the best option for doing GUIs).

Stealth2800 · 2013-01-14 01:31:58

Hm...

...

...

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

In all seriousness, this seems like it would be a real pain to do but I think I'll take a shot at it. I'll try getting basic buttons and such working. If I really get into this, I'll start uploading concepts onto my test account at StealthLabs

I'll also post development updates here. smile

Last edited by Stealth2800 (2013-01-14 01:44:48)

Asraelite · 2013-01-17 12:05:14

Stealth2800 wrote:
Hm...

...

...

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

In all seriousness, this seems like it would be a real pain to do but I think I'll take a shot at it. I'll try getting basic buttons and such working. If I really get into this, I'll start uploading concepts onto my test account at StealthLabs

I'll also post development updates here.

Ok, good luck with trying it. Keep in mind I planned mine out for weeks before starting it and that having working buttons should be the last thing to be added if you make it the same way as I am.

Btw, I put the "start" button in the middle of the task bar instead of on the left xD.

Asraelite · 2013-01-22 07:46:01

Ok, since Scratch 2.0 is coming out soon, and DeiOS probably won't be done before then, I've tried making it on Scratch 2.0. However, Scratch 2.0 can't stamp text, and I can't draw things in pixels with it, so... unless Scratch 2.0 gets rid of its horrible vector graphics editor, I can't make it.

Asraelite · 2013-01-25 09:58:57

Ok, I've found a work-around. I will draw all the sprites I need to draw in Scratch 1.4 then export them to Scratch 2.0. Then all the windows will be stamped and pen'ed instead of done by sprites. It still looks bad because Scratch 2.0 messes up the pixels but I guess people are gonna have to get used to bad graphics in 2.0.

Scratch

archived forums

#1 2012-10-14 06:59:23

True Operating System Idea

#2 2012-10-14 07:16:20

Re: True Operating System Idea

#3 2012-10-14 07:28:42

Re: True Operating System Idea

#4 2013-01-10 14:25:02

Re: True Operating System Idea

#5 2013-01-10 14:28:52

Re: True Operating System Idea

#6 2013-01-11 13:03:46

Re: True Operating System Idea

#7 2013-01-12 12:16:03

Re: True Operating System Idea

#8 2013-01-12 12:25:31

Re: True Operating System Idea

Asraelite wrote:

#9 2013-01-12 19:33:20

Re: True Operating System Idea

#10 2013-01-14 01:31:58

Re: True Operating System Idea

#11 2013-01-17 12:05:14

Re: True Operating System Idea

Stealth2800 wrote:

#12 2013-01-22 07:46:01

Re: True Operating System Idea

#13 2013-01-25 09:58:57

Re: True Operating System Idea

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