Added computation ideas
[sixth.git] / doc / index.org
1 #+TITLE: Sixth - system for data storage, computation, exploration and interaction
2
3 -----
4 - [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitweb/?p=sixth.git;a=snapshot;h=HEAD;sf=tgz][download latest snapshot]]
5
6 - This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
7   the terms of version 3 of the [[https://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html][GNU Lesser General Public License]] or later as
8   published by the Free Software Foundation.
9
10 - Program author:
11   - Svjatoslav Agejenko
12   - Homepage: http://svjatoslav.eu
13   - Email: mailto://svjatoslav@svjatoslav.eu
14
15 - [[http://www.svjatoslav.eu/programs.jsp][other applications hosted at svjatoslav.eu]]
16
17 * (document settings) :noexport:
18 ** use dark style for TWBS-HTML exporter
19 #+HTML_HEAD: <link href="https://bootswatch.com/darkly/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
20 #+HTML_HEAD: <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
21 #+HTML_HEAD: <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/twitter-bootstrap/3.3.1/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>"
22 #+HTML_HEAD: <style type="text/css">
23 #+HTML_HEAD:   footer {background-color: #111 !important;}
24 #+HTML_HEAD:   pre {background-color: #111; color: #ccc;}
25 #+HTML_HEAD: </style>
26
27 * Vision - A tool to amplify human ability
28   :PROPERTIES:
29   :ID:       1f4e1c17-d25f-4d92-aa9b-5785f1d86f4f
30   :END:
31 #+BEGIN_VERSE
32 Makes lots of complex data intuitive to:
33   - explore, understand
34   - manipulate and compute on
35
36 by extensively relying on:
37   - [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitbrowse/sixth-3d/doc/index.html][realtime 3D graphics]] with immediate feedback loop
38   - [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitbrowse/sixth-data/doc/index.html][flexible and distributed computation and data storage]]
39 #+END_VERSE
40
41
42 #+BEGIN_QUOTE
43 “Virtual reality holds the key to the evolution of the human mind”
44 Dr. Lawrence Angelo, The Lawnmower Man (1992)
45 #+END_QUOTE
46
47 * Current status
48 + Formulated high-level [[id:1f4e1c17-d25f-4d92-aa9b-5785f1d86f4f][vision / goal]].
49
50 + In the process of implementing some of building blocks:
51   - [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitbrowse/sixth-data/doc/index.html][Data storage engine.]]
52
53   - [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitbrowse/sixth-3d/doc/index.html][In software, pure Java realtime 3D rendering engine.]]
54     - [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitbrowse/sixth-3d-demos/doc/index.html][3D engine demos]]
55
56 + System is nowhere near complete (given magnitude of effort required
57   and my free time available). Contributions welcome ! :)
58
59 * Computation ideas
60 + Program - stored instructions for execution by computer.
61
62 + Process - Currently running program.
63   + Process is self contained. Has a full copy of program code and
64     every dependent library.
65
66     + Memory used by processes is content addressed/deduplicated at
67       low level in the system.
68
69     + This allows:
70       + Upgrading software installed in the system without breaking
71         already running processes.
72
73       + Easier migration of running processes between physical
74         computers.
75
76       + Possibility to suspend/resume arbitrary processes to permament
77         storage.
78
79       + Possibility checkpoint/revert running process.
80
81       + Possibility to clone/branch running process.
82
83 * Frequently Given Answers
84 - Why such name ?
85   - In short: it's just a number.
86   - Many years ago inspired by the ideas of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forth_(programming_language)][Forth (programming
87     language)]] I decided to create my own implementation [[http://www2.svjatoslav.eu/gitbrowse/fifth/doc/index.html][Fifth]]
88     (computing/programming environment).
89   - Then I realized I miss type safe object oriented capabilities. So
90     I updated the name to Sixth and switched to Java.