Mozilla's 'Boot to Gecko' project promises new open-source OS

by Steven Mostyn - Jul 27 2011, 10:32

With Google Android’s considerable traction in the mobile space clearly illustrating the expanding success and price-cutting appeal of open-source software, it would appear Firefox maker Mozilla Corp. is looking to get in on the action.

While Microsoft grumbles in the corner as more and more device makers opt to avoid the costs associated with Windows licensing, open-source proponent Mozilla has this week announced its ‘Boot to Gecko’ project (B2G), which could result in the creation of a brand new operating platform.

“Mozilla believes that the web can displace proprietary, single-vendor stacks for application development,” outlined a collection of Mozilla developers who posted an initial outline to a dedicated MozillaWiki page.

“To make open web technologies a better basis for future applications on mobile and desktop alike, we need to keep pushing the envelope of the web to include—and in places exceed—the capabilities of the competing stacks in question,” they add.

In terms of end-goals, Mozilla intends to use the existing Gecko engine powering its Firefox browser to engineer a complete, standalone operating system designed specifically for the open web.

Accomplishing this will apparently involve focusing on a number of areas, including the creation of new Prototype Web APIs for exposing device OS capabilities to content (i.e., telephony, SMS, camera, USB, Bluetooth, NFC, etc.).

Mozilla will also be looking to improve the Privilege Model for exposing new capabilities to web pages and applications, along with the crafting of a new low-level substrate for booting on Android-compatible devices.

Although currently in a very early stage of development, Mozilla has said it will release source code in real-time and will process any and all successful additions through the appropriate standards group.

“We’re talking about it now because we want expertise from all over Mozilla—and from people who aren’t yet part of Mozilla—to inform and build the project we’re outlining here,” the team said.

Learn more about Boot to Gecko by clicking this direct link.

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