View source for Syllable Desktop

{{short description|Operating system}}
{{Infobox OS
| name                   = Syllable
| screenshot             = [[File:Syllable-0.6.5-pl.png|250px|Syllable]]<!-- Do not change unless you have read "Wikipedia:Software_screenshots"! -->
| caption                = Syllable 0.6.5
| developer              = Kristian Van Der Vliet, Kaj de Vos, Rick Caudill, Arno Klenke, Henrik Isaksson
| family                 = [[Unix-like]]
| source_model           = [[Open-source software|Open source]]
| released               = 0.4.0 / {{Start date and age|2002|07}}<ref>[https://syllable.metaproject.frl/documentation/FAQ.html#1_2 Syllable Documentation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107003333/http://web.syllable.org/documentation/FAQ.html#1_2 |date=2011-01-07 }}</ref>
| latest_release_version = 0.6.7
| latest_release_date    = {{Start date and age|2012|04|12}}
| kernel_type            = [[Hybrid kernel|Hybrid]]
| license                = [[GNU General Public License]]
| working_state          = [[Software release life cycle#Alpha|Alpha]]
| website                = {{URL|syllable.metaproject.frl}}
| supported_platforms    = [[IA-32]]
}}

'''Syllable Desktop''' is a discontinued [[free and open-source software|free and open-source]] lightweight [[hobbyist operating system]] for [[Pentium (original)|Pentium]] and compatible processors. Its purpose was to create an easy-to-use desktop operating system for the home and small office user. Its development began in 2002 as a [[Fork (software development)|fork]] of AtheOS.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Pearce |first=Rohan |date=2011-08-30 |title=Developer Q&A: Syllable OS |url=http://www.techworld.com.au/article/398892/developer_q_syllable_os/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123023529/http://www.techworld.com.au/article/398892/developer_q_syllable_os/ |archive-date=2011-11-23 |website=[[TechWorld]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Niemeyer |first=Jan |date=2011-11-09 |title=Das freie Desktop-Betriebssystem Syllable |url=https://www.pro-linux.de/artikel/2/377/das-freie-desktop-betriebssystem-syllable.html |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Pro-Linux |language=de}}</ref>

The same group produced Syllable Server, for server computers, based on [[Linux]] core.<ref name=":0" /><ref>http://syllable.metaproject.frl/pages/about.html#Server</ref>

== History ==
Syllable Desktop is a fork of AtheOS, a free and open source operating system that was discontinued. AtheOS was originally developed to be an [[Amiga]] clone for x86 processors, and also took inspiration from [[BeOS]] for the file system it used.<ref name=":1" /> Syllable was started around July 2002 because the sole developer of AtheOS went inactive for nine months.<ref name=":0" /> Syllable Desktop aimed to be a successor to AtheOS and expand on it, such as adding additional hardware support.<ref name=":1" /> Further development aimed at porting additional software and libraries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=de Vos |first=Kaj |date=2012-07-16 |title=Syllable gets Enlightenment graphics engine |url=https://www.osnews.com/story/26189/syllable-gets-enlightenment-graphics-engine/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=[[OSNews]] |language=en-US}}</ref> The last source code commit was in 2012, but the developer is working on restarting the project according to information on the website.

== Features ==
Syllable Desktop has a native Webkit-based [[web browser]] named Webster (formerly ABrowse), an [[email client]] named Whisper, a media player, an [[Integrated development environment|IDE]], and other applications.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Saunders |first=Michael |date=2004-08-02 |title=Syllable – The Little OS with a Big Future |url=https://www.osnews.com/story/7900/syllable-the-little-os-with-a-big-future/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=[[OSNews]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

Features according to the official website include:
* Native [[64-bit]] [[Journaling file system|journaled]] [[file system]], the AtheOS File System (AFS)<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Culka |first=Martin |title=Syllable |url=https://www.root.cz/clanky/syllable/ |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Root.cz |language=cs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-06-14 |title=Four alternative operating systems |url=https://www.linux.com/news/four-alternative-operating-systems/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Linux.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[C++]] oriented [[Application programming interface|API]]
* [[Object-oriented programming|Object-oriented]] graphical [[desktop environment]] on a native [[GUI]] architecture
* Mostly [[POSIX]] compliant<ref name=":3" />
* Software [[Porting|ports]], including [[Vim (text editor)|Vim]], [[Perl]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], [[Apache HTTP Server|Apache]], others.
* [[GNU toolchain]] ([[GNU Compiler Collection|GCC]], [[Glibc]], [[Binutils]], [[make (software)|Make]])
* [[Preemption (computing)|Preemptive]] [[Computer multitasking|multitasking]] with [[Thread (computer science)|multithreading]]
* [[Symmetric multiprocessing]] (multiple [[central processing unit|processor]]) support
* [[Device driver]]s for most common hardware (video, sound, network chips)
* File system drivers for [[File Allocation Table|FAT]] (read/write), [[NTFS]] (read), and [[ext2]] (read)
* [[Rebol]] as system [[scripting language]]

== Reception ==
[[OSNews]] gave a positive review of Syllable, calling it "astoundingly complete for a hobbyist OS at version 0.5" and praising the speed of the OS, but noting that some features and subsystems were not yet implemented, the limited range of apps, and the occasional stability issues.<ref name=":2" /> [[Linux.com]] noted similar points in their review.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Park |first=Jeff |date=2006-08-23 |title=Syllable: A different open source OS |url=https://www.linux.com/articles/56315 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221224401/https://www.linux.com/articles/56315 |archive-date=2008-02-21 |website=[[Linux.com]]}}</ref> pro-linux.de stated that Syllable was a promising upcoming operating system.<ref name=":1" /> A review by Root.cz was negative, stating that "for now, Syllable is just one of the less successful alternatives to Linux or *BSD."<ref name=":3" />

==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software
}}
* [[Haiku (operating system)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''[[Linux Format]]'' 78 (April 2006)
* ''Linux Format'' 105 (May 2008)

==External links==
{{Commons category|Syllable (OS)}}
* {{Official website|https://syllable.metaproject.frl/}}

{{Unix}}
{{Hobbyist operating systems}}
{{FOSS}}

[[Category:Free software operating systems]]
[[Category:Hobbyist operating systems]]
[[Category:Unix variants]]
[[Category:X86 operating systems]]
[[Category:Software using the GNU General Public License]]