V, also called Vitruvian or V\OS, is a desktop operating system built on Linux and inspired by BeOS. It runs the BeOS/Haiku desktop and API on top of a Linux kernel, with custom kernel modules filling in the parts of BeOS that Linux doesn’t provide out of the box.
The goal is a classic desktop on modern hardware, keeping the drivers and software that Linux provides.
What you get
- A responsive, low-latency desktop.
- The BeOS/Haiku API on Linux. Most application source code written for BeOS or Haiku compiles and runs with little or no changes.
- Free and open source, under a hybrid GPL/MIT license.
How it works
The core of V is a set of custom Linux kernel modules collectively called Nexus. Nexus is what bridges the Linux kernel with the BeOS/Haiku runtime. It provides the system services that native V applications expect but that Linux doesn’t implement natively: message ports, semaphores, shared memory areas, virtual file references, and filesystem monitoring. The Nexus reference page describes the design.
The system boots a standard Linux kernel with the Nexus modules loaded. On top of that runs the BeOS/Haiku-compatible desktop, storage layer, and application kits, all drawing and running through their own display server rather than Xorg or Wayland.
Design principles
- Fast and reactive. Minimal latency from input to response. No unnecessary services competing for attention.
- Highly integrated. The desktop, applications, and system services are designed to work as a coherent whole.
- It’s your computer. No telemetry and no hidden agenda; V doesn’t work against you.
- Keep it simple. Fewer options and fewer moving parts, so the system is easy to learn and hard to break.
- Out of the box. Sensible defaults. Everything works without configuration.
The current state
V is approaching beta. Most of the system now works: the desktop, multiuser login, the installer and DriveSetup. BeOS/Haiku applications compile and run with minimal changes, and the current focus is porting more applications. Expect a few rough edges, and some hardware configurations will need manual troubleshooting.
For what is planned next, see the FAQ. For what changed recently, see the news.