- Chrome browsers can transform a PDF into a Linux environment that works under emulation
- The compiler jit disabled from Chrome hinders performance
- The secondary age developer has an impressive form of PDF projects, such as the dissemination of Doom inside
A high school student achieved another coding feat, obtaining a light Linux distribution to be executed in a PDF document.
Ading2210 has developed Linuxpdf for Google Chrome and other chrome browsers by taking advantage of a version of Tinyumu, a Risc-V emulator, which has been modified to operate in a PDF.
Unlike traditional virtual machines, this emulator works entirely in the PDF viewer of Chrome using an old version of Emscripten which compiles in ASM.JS instead of Weba Visma.
How LinuxPDF works
When a user opens the file and agrees to “start the emulator”, the embedded code is loaded, by launching a minimum linux environment. The interface consists of a Linux window based on the text with a soft keyboard in interactive PDF buttons. Users with a physical keyboard can enter orders in an designated entry field.
Despite its ingenuity, Linuxpdf is far from practical for regular use. According to Ading2210, the boots take between 30 and 60 seconds.
This slow performance is thanks to the disabled compiler of Chrome Just-in-Time (JIT), a decision which strengthens security but prevents optimizations which could accelerate the execution of the code. Consequently, LinuxPDF remains more a technical experience than a functional operating system.
Those interested in testing Linuxpdf can open it in a chrome browser like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Developers can also explore or modify the source code which is freely available on Github.
Via Tomshardware
