WebOS 2 Devlog #4: Initial bootloading sequence + login (optional)

When i looked at other projects i realised that they all have some kind of flashy bootloading sequences but mine didnt have any so i built one. I didn’t want it to be too flashy so i made a simple, straightforward sequence. I also knew what exactly I wanted so I managed to finish this in 4hrs on the dot or it would’ve taken a lot longer. This is what it consists of:

• Bootloader that takes into account the selected theme: Since I had two themes in my OS (Modern and Legacy), it didnt make sense for both to have the same loading screen. So the system now actually boots up differnetly before loading the UI. Depending on your settings, you’ll either get a quick Modern UEFI startup, or a 1995 Legacy BIOS sequence complete with memory checks, IDE drive detection, and ASCII loading bars (had to use some outside help [ai] for this one as I’m not that old to know all that stuff).

• Hardware Interrupts: Just like a real PC, if you hit esc while the system is booting, it triggers a hardware interrupt and drops you into a configuration screen.

• Interactive OS Installation: If it’s your first time booting up (or you reset your system), you now have to actually “install” the OS. You can type in your preferred Username, network Hostname, and set an Administrator Password right inside the terminal. You even get the option to format your virtual hard drive.

• Login: If you set a password (which is optoinal) during setup, the boot sequence will actually halt and lock the system until you type it in. (Don’t worry, I added a recover command bypass in case anyone forgets it).

• Terminal Integration: The CLI terminal now dynamically reads your setup data. Instead of a normal prompt that you used to get with the default user@stardance or sth, you’ll see your actual custom username@hostname:~/$.

• Loading text: as the os loads and goes through the bootloading sequence some highly advanced random computer text ‘loads’ to add a little bit to the realism. Some of them are actual data from the host computer such as ram, gpu, and stuff like that. I had lots of other text and loading content that came from the the user’s actual real life hardware and software data, which added to the realism I had to research and use ai to make this because I had no knowledge of how computers were back then.

There’s more but it wont fit here so you’ll just have to see it when i host it after my next ship.