Hi hackers!

I am brasilian (Êêêê meu grande Brasil brasileiro!!!), then sorry for the strangely and unclearly spoken english... I'm learning yet. Google Translator is with me.
And sorry for the long post. I can not resist the urge to talk too much when talking about my dreams...

First of all, to sum up, I want:
- to write a new hobbyist OS, from scratch, reusing source code and algorithms when possible, in fasm for arm, for (primarily) my Nokia E7 smartphone
- help to, now or in the future, understand hardware issues, license issues, legal issues and another obstacles in front of me
- let peacefully open to criticism the OS design and features (or the need for it itself )

(Is redundant to ask honest opinions for assembly hackers, I think )

I am a owner of a Nokia E7 running Symbian Anna. I'm satisfied with it. The ol' good hacked Symbian does your work. The battery doesn't all the time, but... it's which we have for today. Maybe if I become a chemical and electrical engineer, I could develop a better battery with the same size...

Yes, I said i'm satisfied with the Symbian performance. But now I want to apply a new paradigm to my Nokia E7, bringing fresh air. No, an Android clone/port isn't what I have in mind firstly.

I want to make a object-based all-scriptable a-la-forth system for it. Isn't at all new experiment. If you have a HP 48/49 Series handheld graphic calculator, can understand what I mean (i have one HP 48G+; that beauty is a masterpiece of software and hardware, IMHO).

In my little dreamer head, I imagine a some scilab-with-HP-appeal like environment, designed mixing GUI and CLI features to take account of the touchable screen and the qwerty keyboard. Can you imagine too? (Forget java, please!)

I pretend to start writing a couple of prototypes in my PC. The first, could be in html5, to experimentate the look and feel. The second in fasm, could begin in x86 code without problem, to simulate a basic kernel with integrated interpreter/compiler. This way, I can begin to visualize aspects of the final result, and take drastic decisions without changing the current state of the Nokia E7. Maybe i can reuse ideas and code from other projects, all copyleft licensed.

At the same time I pretend to study the ARMv11, how to use the integrated GPU, how to make reverse engineering of the Symbian drivers if needed (for the camera, wifi, etc) and how to make update of firmware on the fly (like the big Nokia does). When I feel confident, i will rewrite the prototypes, and install the whole thing in my Nokia E7.

I'm not arrogant to think I can make better than anyone, nor that I can make all alone, nor that I can reinvent the pocket computer notion or smartphone OS market. I'm a HP 48 heavier user and fan (device fan, not brand fan) that want to make something that refers it, approaching witout being a copy. Think of it as a tribute, if you want.

If I have the time, knowledge and resources, and if there is interest, would agree to adapt my effort to other smartphone models. I must confess that most of my experience is with projects with 1000 or less LOC, none of the experiments involving design of operating systems or reverse engineering.

I've learned to deal with my enthusiasm. I can devote years to my project, and I can also change the original purpose without crying.

Thanks to you who have read this far! Please, comments!

Hello, Eduardo! Welcome FASM forum.


I do not care as long as I can understand what you mean. Mine is not SOOO GOOD! as well.


In my opinion that is the most boring part of the "software" world. In addition, I would like to ask if they recognize software patents in your country. Do they recognize software patents in your country?


Welcome!

Hello HaHaAnonymous! (funny nickname)



Most people who know mw don't understand what i say. Maybe excessive use of computerese...
Do you understood my OS idea?



I agree. Holy s**t, why the hw manufacturers do not release the full specs?? Why a so f****d bloated hardware, first of all??? Well, is part of the journey...



Yes, more than I would like. BUT, Brasil is the second country in the ranking of world's highest piracy consumers! Here, we can buy the lastest fresh cracked installer dvd of Zindoz at any newsstand or lanhouse by ~ US$ 2.50! It comes with Office suite installed and cracked too! And it ever passes the license validation test!!

Hi Eduardo

you need documentation about boot process and devices (lcd, keyboard, timer, spelers, mic,gprs or whathever), I guess this is a nigthmare and I think not much people use this, only this phone user who like the asm.

I love and use forth, a forth OS is a great idea, I develop my version of forth and I plan compile to many OS, an integration in a SO be great.

I think the hard part is handle the hardware, al the phones have the same chip? you need implement a device driver or like that, and when you finish, all the work is for only the phone/model you have.

but, for funny or learn is a good project, count with my for FORTH help

Pablo

It is important to note that my nickname has nothing to do with the "Anonymous Group" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_%28group%29). Just to avoid confusions or misinterpretations.


I think yes.


At first, people may think this is bad for the company (in this case Microsoft), but actually it is not. It is bad for the user, good for the company because it creates a dependency of their proprietary (and not cheap) software, and the more people using it means more money for them as developers and other big proprietary markets will make a priority to feed the OS with software and device drivers.

And as it is proprietary, it makes it a very fertile ground for intentional/paid backdoors, malicious code, tracking of users (especially by governments). Do terrorists use Windows/MAC? That is the question. If yes, I am not surprised why some are often easily tracked and captured by USA forces. And there is also the problem of hardware backdoors and other monitoring technologies (which can be harder to avoid or find).

Out of reality or not, it is just my opinion. I apologize for talking too much.

If you just want to create a thing for hobby then you must not be concerned about breaking any rules/laws, the problems arise (in my opinion) when you start making money out of your work, that is when the patent/copyright holders start an attempt to kill you and/or take your money.

And as you may want to use FASM, here are some links that may be useful:
http://flatassembler.net/docs.php
http://flatassembler.net/examples.php
http://flatassembler.net/download.php

Good luck!

Hi pabloreda!

I heard the source for uboot of Symbian ^3 is disponible, but it's an older version. To what extent it will be useful for me?

Is it very difficult to get the drivers for the screen and keyboard? They should be my initial focus.

To program in Forth-based languages (in my case RPL, the son of Forth and Lisp) is a transforming experience!

No. Even between models of the same line hw can undergo major changes. Although the Nokia likes to keep uniformity in their products.

Yup! It wil provide us lots of fun! Thanks for the support!

Really. Told I that I not use Zindoz for many years?

Well, if the USA government is interested in listening lots of brasilian gospel music... Despite the joke, I understand the gravity of the situation.

It makes me more relaxed.

And if I accept donations? (I don't mind with money, I just pretend to have fun and share what i get to others also enjoy it)

I already use fasm to write some things for my custom linux distro. I have not written many macros, but have written quite assembly. Thanks for the links!