Let's build an alpha #37

I have created a milestione so we can start to focus on develop an initial public release. We can discuss here what things should be added. Please maintain the features to the minimal (it's a first release, after all), and just put here what the idea, but develop them in a new issue.

• update & improve documentation
• minimal system
  • ramdisk root filesystem bundle (kernel + node binary packed in a ramdisk image)
  • minit (minimal init for PID 1)
  • boot module (for starting dhcp/getty via asgard)
  • asgard (to run as PID 2) Using forever-starter instead
    • getty replacement written in Node.js (for binding to /dev/console)
  • multiuser (logon + filesystem permissions)
  • OverlayFS-based root filesystem
    • read-only ramdisk root filesystem
  • network support
    • enable/disable network interfaces
    • static IPs
  • command line tools
    • npm
    • nsh update
    • text editor
    • git client, maybe we can use gitlet
  • The Big Red Button (script to build everything with just one command)
    • generate images for all platforms at once
    • prepare an empty file system
    • install all system packages (download?)
  • different UIDs & GIDs for each user home folder
    • DevicesManager (/dev filesystem)
  • /proc accesible for everybody
  • fbdev
• Instalable distro
  • Self-contained source code
    • custom, minimal compiled kernel
    • libraries
  • Multiple architectures
    • x86
    • x86_64
  • Multiple platforms
    • Docker Use Vagga, maybe with Docker compatibility
    • x86 QEmu
    • x86_64 QEmu
  • Run on hardware
    • kernel & initramfs in rootfs images
    • GRUB image (instalable by hand with dd and/or cp/script)
• no binary executables (only libraries bindings, executables are only Node.js programs)
  • replace /usr/bin/env with Javascript alternative (function? NODE_PATH? patched kernel? script with hard-coded she-bang?)

Minor tasks:

• Read kernel arguments from /proc (root and home)
• Allow logon to create new users
• Move root home to usersfs
• Make usersfs ownership to root
• Mount rootfs as read-only