Unix-like Microkernel Open-Source Operating System

Meet MINIX 3 a Unix-like, robust and compact operating system that is capable of recovering from drivers crashes. Current MINIX version is stable enough to suit perfectly Real-Time Embedded systems and systems that require stability over long periods of time without restart. Here is the quote from the official MINIX site.

What Is MINIX 3?

MINIX 3 is a free, open-source, operating system designed to be highly reliable, flexible, and secure. It is based on a tiny microkernel running in kernel mode with the rest of the operating system running as a number of isolated, protected, processes in user mode. It runs on x86 and ARM CPUs, is compatible with NetBSD, and runs thousands of NetBSD packages. Get MINIX 3 now and join our community!

‘Without MINIX there wouldn’t be Linux and Android’ – Andrew Tanenbaum

In his talk about the impact of MINIX Andrew Tanenbaum who is the developer of the OS told that without MINIX it wouldn’t be Linux, and without Linux it wouldn’t be Android. The world would be a somewhat different place than it is today. Well, If you are curious at this point what this MINIX is all about then that’s delve into practical installation steps.

How to run MINIX?

I used to work on Windows powered machine, but times change and Linux has fascinated me lately. As a consequence, I’ll describe here the process of installation of MINIX under VMware Player virtual machine running in Ubuntu Linux distribution. Certainly, it is possible to run MINIX under VM in Widows or as a stand alone operating system. But I find this scenarios more difficult to start with if all you want is simply to get first impression from MINIX.

Windows and Ubuntu Dual boot

If currently you are using Linux or Mac OS powered machine then skip this step and go to VMware Player chapter. Else welcome to Windows and Ubuntu dual boot installation description main steps.

• First of all, backup your Windows system and create recovery disc.
• Next thing is to download latest version of Ubuntu image and burn it to DVD disc or figure out how to use USB boot. In my case it was Ubuntu 14.04 LTS on Windows 7.
• There are two ways to setup partitioning during Ubuntu installation: automatic and manual. I chose automatic and had no problems. You may choose whatever you like.
• After this installation is straight forward, but if you do not sure how to proceed see this detailed video tutorial.

VMware Player

It seems you’ll pretty fast get how to use Ubuntu, since it feels like very intuitive system. Remember Google search and Ubuntu forums are your friends. Now that you are familiar with Ubuntu proceed to this tutorial on how to install VMware Palyer. If you need more tangible explanation watch this video tutorial on the subject.

MINIX 3

OK. Here we are, only few steps left to follow.

• Download the MINIX version that you need from here. I used the 3.3.0 image downloaded for that matter.
• When you’ve downloaded it there is a need to decompress it using bzip2 application.

bzip2 -d filename.bz2

• Here are the steps to setup VMware Player that you’ve installed previously. The steps were taken from official MINIX site VM installation description with my adaptations.

Virtual Machine Setup

Before you install Minix 3, you will need to create a new virtual machine configuration. The VM configuration specifies the parameters of your Virtual machine, e.g., how much memory you want the VM to use, how big you want the virtual hard disk to be, etc.

Create a Virtual Machine — VMware Workstation and VMware Player (version > 3)

Installing Binary Packages

pkgin

pkgin is the binary package manager for MINIX 3. This page describes how to use it.

Software packages also can built from their source code. See Installing Source Packages for details.

Using pkgin

First, you will need to fetch the package list and populate the package database:

# pkgin update

This step can be re-run to update the package list.

If you would like to install a package, you can run:

# pkgin install git-base
# pkgin install binutils
# pkgin install clang

Also, there is a way to install everything:

# pkgin_all

 X Window System mystery

So far, there is some problem, at least for me to install X Window System on MINIX. Update me if you’ll succeed.

Take care.

Update: the wiki was updated. So Houston we have no problem.

Thanks to David and Matt.

NuPIC, we’ve had a problem!

‘To whom it may concern’ phrase is appropriate to start this post. But actually I know whom it may concern.

David, Pascal and Matt etc. and all other hackers who are eager to play with NuPIC Open Source project.

Those of you who want to fork numenta/htm.java repository in GitHub and then configure working Java project in Eclipse may stumble upon the problem of out-of-date Wiki. Particularly, I mean Eclipse Setup Tips.

Missing ‘Edit’ button

So far, I have no permission to edit the Eclipse Setup Tips page, so as a workaround I`ll provide the updated version of it in this blog post with updated content in green.

Updated version of the Wiki page

Eclipse Development Environment Setup

Below you’ll find a step by step procedure for setting up your development environment in Eclipse (recommended). The reason this is recommended is because it is known by this author that by using the PyDev

(Python Plugin: in Eclipse click “help > Eclipse Marketplace” in the search field type PyDev or Python)

plugin, you can run both the Python version of NuPIC and the Java version side by side!(This text was written during the “porting phase” of htm.java which is occurring rapidly and may not apply by the time you read this.)

If you have Eclipse already setup, you can skip step 1 and 2.

1.) Download Eclipse – link can be found here

2.) Setup your workspace – Eclipse’s concept for a container directory that contains project information relevant to the work you’re doing. Give your workspace a name.

3.) Install Gradle – Nothing to do with Eclipse (yet). This is a system install and you will end up installing both Gradle as a separate tool and the Gradle plugin, information can be found here .Confirm that Gradle is installed correctly by going to your “terminal” or command line and typing “gradle check” from just inside the htm.java directory. You should see the the project build and tests run and finish with a “success” message.

If instead, you get something like this

C:\Users\XYZ\Documents\GitHub\htm.java>gradle check
‘gradle’ is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

Then it means that PATH environment variable is not set. An immediate workaround is to set it with this command

C:\Users\XYZ\Documents\GitHub\htm.java>set PATH=C:\Program Files\gradle-2.4\bin;%PATH%

If while trying to ‘gradle check’ once again you`ll get following error 

C:\Users\XYZ\Documents\GitHub\htm.java>gradle check
:compileJava FAILED

FAILURE: Build failed with an exception.

* What went wrong:
Execution failed for task ‘:compileJava’.
> invalid source release: 1.8

* Try:
Run with –stacktrace option to get the stack trace. Run with –info or –debug option to get more log output.

BUILD FAILED

Total time: 53.05 secs

It means that the PATH to JVM picked by gradle is not the one used by Eclipse project.

To fix this immediately set the path to the folder where appropriate JDK version resides. In this case to jdk/jre 1.8

C:\Users\XYZ\Documents\GitHub\htm.java>set JAVA_HOME=C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_25

C:\Users\XYZ\Documents\GitHub\htm.java>gradle check
:compileJavaNote: C:\Users\XYZ\Documents\GitHub\htm.java\src\main\java\org\numenta\nupic

\util\SparseObjectMatrix.java uses unchecked or unsafe operations.
Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.

:processResources UP-TO-DATE
:classes
:compileTestJava
:processTestResources
:testClasses
:test
:checkwarning: Supported source version ‘RELEASE_6’ from annotation processor ‘org.openjdk.jmh.generators.BenchmarkProcessor’ less than -source ‘1.8’
Note: Some input files use unchecked or unsafe operations.
Note: Recompile with -Xlint:unchecked for details.
1 warning
No matching benchmarks. Miss-spelled regexp?
Use EXTRA verbose mode to debug the pattern matching.

BUILD SUCCESSFUL

4.) Open Eclipse in your newly created workspace, and install the Gradle plugin. Click on the top menu bar “Help > Eclipse Marketplace”. In the search field type Gradle, and hit. Follow the directions (install everything). install this plugin, that worked well lately,  Gradle Integration for Eclipse (4.4) 3.6.4.RELEASE

5.) Import your project as a Git Project. From the top menu in Eclipse, choose “File > Import…”, then choose “Git > Projects from Git” … hit next.

…then choose “Existing local repository”

… it should look like the following (after clicking “Add” and locating your htm.java clone directory)

… Import existing projects should already be selected. If not, select it and click “Finish”

6.) Now setup your build path. Right-click on your project root in the “Package Explorer” tab and choose “Properties” at the bottom of the menu. On the next dialog, click “Java Build Path” and then add two source directories (from the “Source” tab) to your path by clicking “Add Folder…” twice and selecting

a.) src/main/java,  b.) src/test/java, c.)  src/jmh/java as shown below:

(update screenshot with additional folder)

… Add the libs/jars to the path. Right click on your project root and at the bottom of the menu click “Properties” again. From the “Libraries” tab, click on “Add JARs” – navigate to “libs” and select all the jars (hold down the key and select each and every jar). as seen below:

(update screenshot with additional dependencies)

This will allow you to build the project! 🙂

To get the tests to run, from the top menu bar, click on the tiny black down-arrow to the right of the round green button with the right-facing white arrow. This is your “Run” button used to launch any Java executables. You can set up run configurations from here, but usually if you have a test class or any Java file with a “public static void main(String[] args) method in it, you can just right-click anywhere in the file or right-click the file in the “Package Explorer” and click “Run As” > “Application” or “JUnit test”.

As always, your mileage may vary depending on exact setups, but this should help 90% of developer environments to get configured correctly!

Happy Hacking! 🙂

Help needed

That’s it more or less. I think Pascal and David may help me to solve the ‘Edit’ button mystery once and for all.

 myExperience  = null;

It seems to me almost everyone who`ll read this post faced at least once in a lifetime the problem of having no experience. And by experience I mean particularly programming experience. The enigma of no experience is an interesting phenomenon in itself, but this post is all about practical suggestions from leading developers on how to get one. Since I have no 1 – 5 years of expected experience in software development myself it is hard for me to give you an advise on such a serious topic. That is why I choose to look from the outside and incorporate in this post advices of others.

‘Open Source is the answer’ – Alex Allain, developer, author of Jumping into C++ 

Here comes my adaptation of Alex`s advice that he once gave me. In short, the question was about software automation versus development position dilemma.

Hi Andrei, if you work through all of Jumping into C++ and complete the exercises , you will know C++ well. What you won’t really have, that can be valuable for software development jobs:

1) practice working with and modifying an existing large code base (at least 10,000+ lines of code, ideally 100,000+ lines of code to really get a feel for working on a big system) – part of this will be about learning design patterns and part of it is about learning to navigate a big code base

2) knowledge of Java/ C++ libraries/etc. and how to work with them

3) experience estimating projects

4) writing specs or design documents for really large features

5) experience working on code with other people–going through code reviews, debating design points, convincing other people that your approach is correct, learning how to document your code so that other people can understand it

6) experience working with the ‘nuts and bolts’ of a software project–setting up a particular project’s build environment, understanding how to work with and debug problems with many unfamiliar tools

7) experience using source control systems like git, mercurial, SVN, CVS, etc

8) experience dealing with problems ‘at scale’ with lots of data or in the real world – needing sophisticated algorithms, debugging memory exhaustion or performance slowdowns, dealing with end user computers, etc.

Most of these other things can be developed through working on a project – either QA automation or working on open source software. To be honest, I think that working on an open source project is likely to be a better learning experience and career builder than doing QA automation:

1) QA automation is unlikely to be as rigorous as a good open source project

2) QA automation probably won’t use Java/C++ (this is OK, but if you want to use your existing skills best, it may not be a good fit)

3) QA automation won’t allow you to show people your github commits that show exactly what you are capable of

That said, QA automation won’t prevent you from also working on a separate project, so if you have a chance to do that, I wouldn’t turn it down. It should only add to your resume.

So from Alex`s advice it is clear that contribution to Open Source Community, such as NuPIC may be a good option for some of you and me, actually. It will not only help you get missing experience it`ll also help you find new friends and meet new people. Those new connections may be very beneficial to your career in the future.

‘Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.’ – John Sonmez, developer, author of Soft Skills: The software developer’s life manual

Following are John`s parting words to a group of Java Enterprise Edition course graduates.

Andrei tells me that all of you are nearing the “finish line” of your Java EE course.

I congratulate you on this accomplishment.

I’m sure, for most of you, this has not been an easy task.

Any time in life that we choose to better ourselves, we can be sure that we will face resistance.

By reaching the end of this course, you have proven your ability to overcome it, but the real challenge still awaits.

It is one thing to acquire knowledge.

Knowledge can be gained in a relatively short period of time, with sustained effort.

It is another thing to acquire wisdom.

Wisdom is much more elusive. It is not guaranteed.

I know many experienced software developers who have plenty of knowledge of their craft, but lack the wisdom to apply it appropriately.

Wisdom is only achieved through careful devotion and perseverance.

Wisdom is gained through the application and understanding of principles—in life, and in software development.

Seek to not only knowledge, but understanding.

It is one thing to know how to write good code. It is another thing to understand what makes it good.

It is one thing to know the answers to the questions you will be asked in your interviews. It is another thing to understand not only why the answers are correct, but why the questions themselves are relevant.

As you are out in the real world, interviewing for jobs, don’t be so concerned with landing this job or that job—many opportunities will come and go.

Instead, be concerned with learning from each experience; using each experience to increase your understanding; to grow in wisdom.

Have confidence that it is impossible to not reach your destination if you continue on the right roads. Do not be in a hurry to arrive, in due time you will reach your destination.

Do not worry what you know now.

Do not worry about passing this interview or that one.

Do not even worry about the questions you are asked when you are in an interview.

Instead, focus, concentrate on learning, on observing.

Watch yourself as you answer the questions.

If an interview went good, ask yourself why.

If it went bad, also find out why.

Consider each interview, each question a step that moves you forward.

Do not worry about the outcome, instead worry about improving each time.

If you improve each time you interview, the eventual outcome is inevitable, so what does it matter how many tries it takes to get there.

And when you do get that first programming job, you are far from done. It is only another step.

Still seek to improve, each day, each job, every time you sit down to write some code.

I wish you all the best in your journey.

Sincerely,

John Sonmez

http://simpleprogrammer.com

return hasExperience = true;

Let`s recap and summarize the advices given.

1. Open Source contribution is the way to go at least for someone of you.
2. Curiosity and desire to deeply understand the subject of yours with feedback from practice.
3. Communication with other people is the key (Dale Carnegie).
4. May the Force be with you to keep going.

N.B.

Hire yourself for your own start-up company. It`s simple as let.

Have you ever thought of taking programming course to study certain subject?

I had and took one. But now I have to confess it was not a perfect move.

My experience shows that programming courses do not teach you anything you cannot learn from Internet alone with forums, manuals and free courses out there.

Having completed recently a year long course on programming only amplifies my conjecture – there is no need to take such courses except of particular courses such as Pluralsight that charge only $29 a month.

The problem with programming courses that they tend to be very expensive and do not teach real programming experience instead they haphazardly covering hundreds of various topics never diving deep inside to understand them fully.

This is not the way. The best way is to start developing any application and learn the material as you need it.

As John Sonmez suggests in his blog the most easiest and affordable way to do this these days is to build mobile application.

So do not waste your time and money, and invest them somewhere else.

Take care.