How The Big Bang Works

This is the method of bootstrapping Gnosis today (1983 Oct). See (dbb) about how to initiate a big bang.

GNOSIS ASSEMBLE is the assembly of the primordial nodes and control blocks that instruct INIT how to read the primordial non-kernel code into the primodrial pages from CMS files. This reading occurs with the help of CMS and according to its rules. After this reading the kernel begins to run whence CMS abdicates the kernel reigns. The kernel finds and writes on its own disks. After a checkpoint is taken the disks serve as a new starting point that no longer involves GNOSIS ASSEMBLE.

Certain primordial programs (external migrator, Prime space bank, WOMBKEEP, the domain creator creator and the space bank transformer, and others), serve to define just one object. Domains produced by the WOMB macro with primordial processes execute such programs with no further ado. SBT produces subservient space banks with indirect access to the prime bank. DCC creates domain creators with no help except from the passed space bank. WOMBKEEP orchestrates the beginnings of later primordial objects so as to ensure that the facilities that each of them need are available as they begin to run. WOMBKEEP also builds SWOMBLIST {(p2,swomblist)} for emergency repair of those later primordial objects.

A motley collection of objects necessary to support the factory are brought into being by WOMBKEEP by execution of the code produced by the AUXSUBR macro. Each macro invocation does one object by consulting a matched node assembled in GNOSIS ASSEBLE by the AUXWOMB macro. This node holds whatever authority is required by the specific object.

Each of these domains begins with a process and executes some code to initialize their part of the world and finish by contributing their part to the nascent womb.

WOMBKEEP in particular continues and interprets a chain of nodes assembled by GNOSIS ASSEMBLE that each define an additional subsystem. Each of these nodes is produced by the AUXWOMB macro. These do not use factories mostly because they support factories.

WOMBKEEP builds a bunch of factories by executing COMPFACT macros preceeded by some INSTCOMP macros. The raw materials for this are also acquired from SWOMBLIST produced one node per subsystem by the AUXWOMB macro in GNOSIS ASSEMBLE.

When WOMBKEEP is done SYSTOOL installs users and opens Gnosis.

Then the actions described at (dbb) are taken to complete the initiation of the new system.