Showcase chapter notes

Watch each clip for sequence, then compare it with current validation. The videos record older i386 sessions, including a C Hew-shaped sample rather than modern Hew. The command and source walkthroughs retain that scope; current native ELF64/Hew qualification does not imply a port of every recorded application. Source paths below are local study labels: the kernel repository is private.

Boot identity

Open MP4

Multiboot entry, early x86 setup, memory, interrupts, devices, filesystems, embedded programs, and arrival at the shell.

Boot pathCPU tablesinterruptsmemory managerconsoleshellELF registry

Likely commands and observations

make doctor; make first-user-check; make dev Current first-run route: native 64-bit, DOOM=0, default QEMU SMP, a disposable disk and no host forwards. This i386 recording used the older persistent operator workflow.
help The shell command table is live after console, scheduler, and program registration are online.
uname, status, neofetch, ps Identify the QEMU/i686 target, memory, uptime, tasks, devices, and user-program surface.
events 5 Recent boot and shell activity enters the causal event ring.
Source files
  • arch/x86/boot.asm
  • kernel/core/main.c
  • kernel/core/x86.c
  • kernel/core/interrupt.c
  • kernel/core/memory.c
  • kernel/drivers/console.c
  • kernel/apps/shell.c
  • programs/shell.c

SlFS persistence

Open MP4

The persistent filesystem path from PCI and VirtIO block I/O through SlFS metadata and disk-prefixed shell commands.

PCI scanVirtIO transportVirtIO blockSlFSfile commandscausal logging

Likely commands and observations

diskmkdir, diskwrite, diskappend, diskcat Disk commands exercise the VirtIO-backed SlFS namespace.
diskstat, diskdf, fsck, diskcache Metadata, capacity, cache, and consistency checks expose the on-disk state.
halt; make DOOM=0 SMP=0 run-nographic; diskcat <path> This legacy operator workflow preserves disk.img. Default make dev uses a disposable image instead.
events fs_op or trace <event-id> Filesystem work leaves causal records for operator inspection.
Source files
  • kernel/drivers/pci.c
  • kernel/drivers/virtio.c
  • kernel/drivers/virtio_blk.c
  • kernel/fs/blockfs.c
  • kernel/fs/fs.c
  • kernel/apps/cmd_files.c
  • include/blockfs.h

Productivity

Open MP4

The operating surface around file navigation, editor use, text browser output, wget/http work, compilation, and user program launch.

Shell applicationskeyboardconsoleTCP/IPELF loadersyscalls

Likely commands and observations

browser or wget wget fetches HTTP through the kernel network stack; browser renders SlFS files and built-in about pages.
edit or typewriter Text entry passes through keyboard, console, and application code.
slc <source> The small compiler path produces an executable artifact for the loader.
ls, cat, exec <program>, strace File inspection, program launch, and syscall tracing share the shell surface.
Source files
  • programs/browser.c
  • programs/editor.c
  • programs/typewriter.c
  • programs/slc.c
  • kernel/net/wget.c
  • kernel/core/elf.c
  • kernel/core/syscall.c
  • kernel/apps/cmd_apps.c

External ELF and HEW

Open MP4

ELF inspection, SlFS installation, argv delivery, task lifecycle, and a C Hew-shaped SDK example calling SlOS services. This is not a compiled Hew actor runtime. The /hew chapter records the separate personal modern-Hew experiment, not an official Hew target.

ELF loaderuser runtimesyscall ABItask lifecycleC Hew-shaped SDK sample

Likely commands and observations

programs, elfinstall -l List embedded and installable user programs.
elfinfo hello; exec hello The loader checks an executable and starts it through the syscall ABI.
exec argdemo alpha beta Argument passing reaches the user program.
elfinstall hello /labs/hello.elf; exec /labs/hello.elf A persistent SlFS copy can be inspected and executed by path.
Source files
  • kernel/core/elf.c
  • include/elf.h
  • kernel/core/syscall.c
  • kernel/core/task.c
  • lib/slos.h
  • examples/sdk/hello_slos.c
  • examples/sdk/hew_runtime_slos.c
  • examples/sdk/hew_actor_hello.c

Timeline notes

Open MP4

Notes as timeline-backed application state, with search, tags, export, cursor movement, replay, and causal parentage.

Causal graphtimeline frameworkreplay enginenotes applicationSlFS snapshots

Likely commands and observations

note add <text> A note append creates application state and a timeline event.
note tag last <tag> Metadata is attached to the current note record.
note search <term>; note show last Search and show read reconstructed note state.
tl show notes; tl tail notes -n 5; tl rewind notes <n> Timeline commands inspect or move the replay cursor.
Source files
  • kernel/apps/notes.c
  • include/notes.h
  • kernel/graph/timeline.c
  • include/timeline.h
  • kernel/graph/causal.c
  • kernel/graph/replay.c
  • kernel/apps/cmd_graph.c

Actors and mesh

Open MP4

Named local actors, mailbox delivery, routes, mesh identity, Noise crypto, and federated graph or message state.

Actor mailboxesrouting tableNoise cryptomesh transportfederationcausal merge

Likely commands and observations

actors Registered actor names, message counters, and mailbox depth are visible.
send shell <message>; recv shell A message enqueue and receive create actor and causal records.
mesh, routes, federation Peer identity, route table, and graph/message federation status are exposed.
observe or meshview Dashboard commands watch distributed state when peer nodes are present.
Source files
  • kernel/graph/actor.c
  • include/actor.h
  • kernel/graph/mesh.c
  • include/mesh.h
  • kernel/graph/federation.c
  • include/federation.h
  • kernel/core/noise.c
  • kernel/apps/meshview.c

DOOM

Open MP4

Launching a larger graphical program through the SlOS program path, with display, input, runtime shims, and process return.

External program registrationELF loadingsyscallskeyboardVGA/framebufferDOOM platform layer

Likely commands and observations

doom The shell transfers control to the registered DOOM program.
keyboard input Input travels through the keyboard driver into the game adapter.
VGA mode or framebuffer output The display path presents game frames through the platform layer.
return to shell The process boundary keeps the operating surface available after the program exits.
Source files
  • doom/platform/doom_entry.c
  • doom/platform/doomgeneric_slos.c
  • doom/platform/doom_libc.c
  • arch/x86/vga13h.c
  • kernel/core/elf.c
  • kernel/core/syscall.c
  • scripts/doom-smoke.py

Later capabilities

The following commands and references describe capabilities added after the video sessions.

Durable searchable causality

Commands

  • journal
  • journal spill-through last
  • events -a sched 4
  • cq -a id=last epoch-proof --json-ish
  • why -a last
  • journal proof-health
  • journal json selfcheck

The CJournal spills event history to SlFS, supports read-through queries, Merkle/epoch proof surfaces, and validation/selfcheck commands.

Source and validation paths
  • programs/shell.c
  • kernel/apps/shell.c
  • kernel/graph/causal.c
  • docs/manuals/VALIDATION.md
  • docs/JOURNAL.md

Scrub inspector and counterfactuals

Commands

  • scrub <tick>
  • scrub event last
  • scrub whatif last
  • scrub diff 100 99999
  • scrub json 99999
  • whatif summary <event-id>

The terminal inspector reconstructs state at a tick, explains one event, compares ticks, exports JSON, and asks what would fall away if an event were dropped.

Source and validation paths
  • programs/shell.c
  • kernel/graph/replay.c
  • kernel/apps/cmd_graph.c
  • docs/causal-inspector.md

Web Causal Explorer

Commands

  • make DOOM=0 SMP=0 run-nographic
  • httpd
  • httpd dump graph
  • httpd dump state 0
  • host: open http://localhost:8080/causal
  • GET /api/causal/{state,recent,graph,dot}

The userspace HTTP server now ships a browser DAG with SVG rendering, a time-travel slider, and click-to-focus causes/effects.

Source and validation paths
  • programs/httpd.c
  • kernel/apps/cmd_net.c
  • scripts/web-explorer-check.mjs
  • docs/causal-inspector.md

Lenses, tally, and live activity

Commands

  • ctop
  • lens save demo events 5
  • lens list
  • lens run demo
  • journal type sched 50 | tally

Operators can monitor causal activity, persist named causal queries to SlFS, and aggregate command pipelines with tally.

Source and validation paths
  • programs/shell.c
  • docs/implementation/2026-06-12-lens.md
  • docs/manuals/VALIDATION.md
  • Makefile