Using BIOS interrupts works to get up and running, but it would be nice to be able to access the full capabilities of the hardware.

I would like to explore what it would take to add some .bin files to the main menu that provide additional file I/O, Intel HD graphics, and sound capabilities.

Roger

It would take allot for very little satisfaction... If you wanted to do so you'd need to add to the kernel the capability for modular driver. Then it would probably be best to add more basic drivers, like VGA, keyboard, PS/2 mouse, hard disk driver and things like that since they have been well and openly documented. Newer hardware, like the mentioned intel HD graphics are not so well documented and would need some reverse engineering to make them...

Ok, how about just file I/O? Mike, are you planning on modifying the kernel itself in order to add the necessary features to port fasm?

The first thing is and the most important is to get a UEFI bootloader,
I am working on that, osdev has some resources, if we are not able to do that then MikeOS will be finished since BIOS will be "bye-bye" in the next years.
BUT
there is a problem,
According to Mike Saunders, [the original dever of MikeOS] says that he doesn't want to write drivers and other stuff cause that would increase the complexity of the Code,OS etc.
Also for you guys to check out there is a GUI version of MikeOS, the problem is the Mouse Drivers are not working well, [According to Mike, IRQ's are working but there is a problem with the mouse initialization].
Also what is aeBIOS, [Advanced Extended BIOS?????], How are we supposed to update from BIOSes to aeBIOSes? Is it something that comes with the OS itself, or the Computer needs it??????
Writing Drivers is a pain in the neck,
Just for the print_string functions we will have to write 30-40 lines of code [in C] Imagning that in ASM would be more tough but beneficial, to what I think MikeOS could be damaging [I realized] since 16-Bit is outdated and BIOS is outdated too. So I would still work on the project but I would be more interested in BareMetal OS, 64-Bit,TCP/IP stuff and much more.......
I would say Go Ahead with it, Let's see what can you do in 32K memory space, if you do something great [Like writing a Multitasking driver or a Compiler], then it would be the greatest milestone......................
~Sids123