RobOS

Genesis

RobOS is not a fork. It is not a reskin. It is a system built from the ashes of sanity.

Created by Robby (15 years old) over 5 months of isolation. Robby didn't want to just "use" Linux. He wanted to suffer through every line of code to understand *why* it works. No scripts, no helpers, no mercy.

Philosophy

"Pain is Knowledge."

Modern operating systems treat you like a child. They auto-mount your USB drives. They connect to Wi-Fi automatically. RobOS treats you like an intruder. If you want Wi-Fi, you better know how `wpa_supplicant` works on a binary level.

Architecture

The architecture is strictly monolithic but stripped.

No `/usr` merge (optional). No `systemd`. No D-Bus (unless you compile it).

CE vs. ME

Installation

There is no installer. You are the installer.

1. Partition disk using `fdisk`.
2. Format filesystems manually (`mkfs.ext4`).
3. Mount root.
4. Extract the RobOS tarball.
5. Install GRUB manually.
6. Write your own `fstab`.

Package Management

Current: `opkg`. Stolen from the embedded world. Simple, effective, dumb.

Future: `rop` (RobOS Package). A bash script currently being written by Robby. It doesn't solve dependencies; it just tells you what you are missing and laughs.

The Toolchain

Building the CE edition required a "Canadian Cross" compilation method. We utilize musl libc (mostly) for size, though Glibc is available for compatibility. The compiler flags are set to `-Os` (Optimize for Size) by default.

Daily Challenges

• No Editor: `vi` is not installed by default in ME. Use `cat > file` to write config files.
• US Keyboard: Standard layout only. Want German? Manually load keymaps using `loadkeys` (if you installed it).
• No Man Pages: Google is your documentation.

The Learning Curve

Imagine a vertical wall covered in spikes. That is RobOS.

You will learn kernel panics by heart. You will understand ELF headers. You will dream in linker errors.

Roadmap

Robby's to-do list:

• [ ] Write `init` in C instead of Bash.
• [ ] Port a minimal browser (Links/Lynx).
• [ ] Create a repository server (currently hosted on a USB stick).

RobOS vs. Ubuntu

RobOS vs. Arch / LFS

Arch: Has a wiki. Has `pacman`. Has a community. Too easy.

LFS (Linux From Scratch): A book that guides you. It holds your hand.

RobOS: No book. No wiki. Just binaries and a kernel. You figure out the glue.

Filesystem Hierarchy

We barely follow the FHS (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard). `/opt` is gone. `/srv` is gone. Everything that isn't essential is removed.

Memory Stats

Ideally, RobOS boots into < 10MB RAM on a cold start (without graphical shell, obviously).

The Boot Process

We do not use SystemD. We do not use OpenRC.

We use SimpleInit (a script). It mounts `/proc`, `/sys`, reads `/etc/inittab` (parsed by BusyBox init), and drops you into a TTY.

Boot time: Near instantaneous. The BIOS takes longer than the OS.

Security

Security by Minimalism.

Hackers can't exploit a service that doesn't exist. Since RobOS has almost no open ports and no running daemons by default, the attack surface is microscopic.

Community

Population: 2

1. Robby (The Creator)
2. You (The Victim)

There is no forum. There is no Discord. If you have a problem, fix it yourself.

Hardware Support

RobOS includes a "Generic" Kernel. It supports basic x86_64 hardware. Nvidia drivers? Forget it. Printers? Use paper and pen. Bluetooth? Not in this lifetime.

About Robby

Robby started this project at age 15. While other kids were playing Fortnite, Robby was recompiling Binutils because of a linker error. He has not seen the sun in 5 months. Send coffee.

Final Warning

Downloading RobOS may cause: Loss of data, loss of time, loss of hair, and an intense appreciation for how difficult Operating System development actually is.

Are you ready?