daedalOS - the crazy Desktop environment in the browser
Complete with emulators, terminals, media players, live desktop wallpaper... and DOOM. All in a web browser. It's both disturbing and wonderful.
Check out this craziness:
This is what you get when you go to Dustinbrett.com.
This is a webpage.
Everything you see… is live. The windows are movable. Doom is actually running. As is a Javascript implementation of DOSBox. And even an x86 emulator with Linux. It is an entire OS / Desktop Environment (with applications) running in, what can only be described as, “The Worlds Most Insane Use of Javascript”.
Now, I’m no fan of Javascript. Or the insane bloat of modern web browsers. To put it mildly.
So my initial reaction, when I loaded up that website, was to be filled with rage… accompanied by a feeling of dread at the fate of all humanity.
But, if I’m being honest, this is a pretty stinkin’ rad accomplishment. And it is surprisingly usable and peppy.
The full code is over on GitHub.
Oh, oh. Oh! The developer put together a short video where he showcases his favorite DOS games… all running inside his personal website using “daedalOS”. That is both ridiculous and awesome. I approve.
Side note: Some of the emulation is provided by v86. Which uses Web Assembly trickery to squeeze out some surprising performance when emulating an x86 PC in a web browser. You can check v86 out in action at copy.sh/v86/. You can run just about any x86 OS right in your browser there. Pretty crazy stuff.
Kudos to Dustin Brett for putting all of this together.
Pretty darn impressive.
Even if it represents all that is unholy in the world. ;)
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