Haiku

Overview

Haiku OS (Haiku for short) is a free, open-source operating system designed for personal computing. Inspired by the 1990s BeOS, it aims to provide a fast, simple, and easy-to-learn desktop experience. Developed by an international community and hosted at haiku-os.org, it supports the x86_64 architecture (with some ARM support in development) for desktops, laptops, and embedded devices, and provides a BeOS-style Tracker file manager and Tracker desktop. Haiku OS features a modular kernel, supports rolling updates, and comes with pre-installed software such as the WebPositive browser, Mail, and WonderBrush, emphasizing responsiveness and multimedia performance.

History and Development

• Origins:
  • 2001: The Haiku project was launched as an open-source successor to BeOS by Michael Phipps and the community, with the goal of achieving compatibility and improvements.
  • BeOS was an operating system from the 1990s, known for its multimedia and responsiveness. However, the project was discontinued after Be Inc. collapsed in 2001.
• Development History:
  • 2002: Renamed to OpenBeOS, focusing on BeOS-compatible APIs.
  • 2006: Renamed to Haiku, Alpha 1 released with basic hardware support.
  • 2013: R1 Alpha 4 introduced Tracker and multimedia support.
  • 2019: R1 Beta 1 released, with network and file system optimizations.
  • March 2024: R1/Beta 5 released, based on kernel r1beta5, with UEFI support, additional drivers, and Be API compatibility.
• Community and Support:
  • Maintained by the Haiku Inc. Foundation, it's hosted at haiku-os.org, GitHub, and the forums (discuss.haiku-os.org).
  • Supports English and some Chinese (via community translations), with documentation covering installation and development.
  • A Reddit user called Haiku "a perfect resurrection of BeOS, incredibly responsive."
• Open Source License:
  • MIT License, allowing commercial use and modification.

Key Features

Haiku OS is built around responsiveness, simplicity, and BeOS compatibility, making it ideal for desktop users. Here are its key features:

1. BeOS-Compatible API
   • Supports the BeOS API (Be API), allowing it to run BeOS software (such as WonderBrush).
2. Tracker File Manager
   • Tracker is an integrated file manager and desktop, providing drag-and-drop functionality and right-click menus.
3. Rolling Updates
   • Based on the pkgman package manager, it supports rolling updates.
4. Hardware Compatibility
   • Supports x86_64, with kernel r1beta5 compatible with Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.
   • Minimum requirements: 1 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB disk (2 GHz CPU, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB disk recommended).
5. Security and Privacy
   • Supports encrypted partitions and firewalls (configuration required).
6. Development Support
   • Supports Python and Git, with tools installed via pkgman.

Advantages and Limitations

Advantages

• Highly Responsive:
  • BeOS-style fast startup, superior to FunOS's JWM.
  • Post X says, "Haiku's Tracker desktop is lightning responsive."
• Easy to learn:
  • Intuitive interface, superior to Arch Linux's manual configuration.
• Open source compatibility:
  • The Be API supports open-source BeOS software, surpassing ReactOS's Windows compatibility.
• Active community:
  • International community with tutorials.
• Low resource usage:
  • Suitable for low-spec devices, superior to Qubes OS's virtualization.

Limitations

• Beta status:
  • R1/Beta 5 is unstable, and production environments are risky.
• Software ecosystem:
  • Small repository, requiring porting of Linux software.
• Limited ARM support:
  • The ARM version is a beta version, inferior to Raspberry Pi OS.

Summary

Haiku OS is a free, open source operating system. The latest version, R1/Beta 5 (March 2024), is based on the r1beta5 kernel and supports the x86_64 architecture. It is centered around BeOS compatibility, responsiveness, and simplicity, offering a Tracker desktop and rolling updates. Haiku OS's BeOS style and responsiveness are prominent, but its Beta status and software ecosystem are small.