Many times we have heard rumors about the destruction of our planet due to climate change, nuclear wars, resource depletion, and other similar scenarios.
In any case, it's never a bad idea to be prepared for the future. With that in mind, a developer named Virgil Dupras has developed a new operating system , called 'Collapse OS', which has the ability to create copies of itself and can survive humanity's darkest days.
In a world that will be destroyed, we may have to return to technology , leaving behind what we have created so far.
Dupras envisions a future where the global supply chain has collapsed – and there will be no mass production of electronics. So those who can reprogram devices will have a huge advantage over those who can't.
The creator of Collapse OS says that after a supposed disaster, people will be able to reflash their locked iPhones with the new open-source operating system and use them.
"I'm doing this to mitigate a risk that I think is real. It's not inevitable, but it's likely enough to warrant a little effort," says Dupras.
He believes that one of the biggest challenges for engineers in the future will be microcontrollers – tiny computers embedded in circuits that fundamentally control the functions of computer systems.
The Collapse OS website explains how computers will, after a few years, break down and become unfixable. When we reach a point where microcontrollers can no longer be programmed, we will need “a system that can be designed from the remaining parts of a device and program the microcontrollers.”
This is where Collapse OS will need to step in. It runs on 8-bit Z80 microprocessors. They are less common than the 16- and 32-bit components. However, you can still find the Z80 in desktop computers or graphing calculators and many other common gadgets.
The reason behind using the Z80 is that it is found on so many machines that there are many chances that someone can manage it.
Dupras says Collapse OS will be able to run on minimal and improvised machines. It will be able to process text files, compile source code files for a wide range of MCUs and CPUs, along with the ability to read and write from a wide range of storage devices. The operating system can also create copies of itself, given enough RAM and storage.
As it stands, Collapse OS can run on a makeshift Z80-based computer called the RC2014. The developer says it could theoretically run on a Sega Genesis console as well.
Currently, the Collapse OS project is hosted on GitHub , and Dupras is looking for collaborators to help him improve it.
