systems/os-workplace

os-workplace is the free desktop operating system in the PointSav family. It provides a clean, secure, native-Rust desktop environment that pairs naturally with a Totebox archive and brings the F-key discipline and security model of the platform to a community user installing it for the first time. The strategy is deliberate: os-workplace is the adoption gateway. A new user installs it because it is free and fast; once their daily work happens inside the PointSav ecosystem, the commercial `os-orchestration` aggregator becomes a logical next step. This article covers the reference hardware, the application suite, the pairing model, and the strategic rationale for a free desktop.

[edit]Reference hardware

os-workplace targets a small, deliberate set of devices. Hardware fragmentation is the enemy of stability; the official reference profiles are chosen for first-class driver support under a hardened FreeBSD or seL4 base:

Tier	Device
Flagship	Dell XPS 13 / 14 (Developer Edition)
Fleet	HP ProBook 400 series (445/450)

The kernel evolution mirrors the rest of the family: Phase 1 runs on a hardened FreeBSD desktop profile; Phase 2 (planned) migrates to a native seL4 microkernel build.

[edit]The application suite

All applications are native Rust binaries. The choice is principled: an SMB customer in 2030 values local-first performance and offline reliability over browser-based subscription tooling. Each app is small, single-purpose, and starts in under 100 milliseconds.

App	Source approach
app-workplace-pdfs	Fork of pdf-rs; ISO PDF/A fidelity only [^1]
app-workplace-wordprocessor	Typst engine for document layout
app-workplace-spreadsheet	IronCalc — deterministic-maths Rust engine
app-workplace-email	Fork of Himalaya; TUI-first, local-first
app-workplace-browser	Fork of Servo; telemetry removed
app-workplace-communications	WebRTC-based peer-to-peer Rust client [^2]
app-workplace-chat	Real-time secure messaging
app-workplace-file-manager	Fork of Broot; fuzzy-search, action-triggered
app-workplace-wiki	Offline-first documentation viewer
app-workplace-gis (planned)	Fork of Whitebox-tools; pure-Rust geospatial
app-workplace-bim (planned)	ifc-rs and truck B-rep kernel

[edit]Pairing with the Totebox

os-workplace is the user's local environment. Data lives in the user's os-totebox. A pairing handshake between the workstation and the archive establishes hardware-bound trust through service-pairing. There are no usernames or passwords — the pairing is the permission.

A user can carry os-workplace on a USB drive, boot it on a borrowed machine, and have the same secure environment without leaving traces on the host. Closing the session wipes the secure memory. The Totebox remains untouched in the cloud.

[edit]Why a free desktop is strategic

Three reasons make os-workplace a structural commitment rather than a marketing gesture:

1. Adoption funnel. A free, fast desktop introduces the operator to the F-key discipline of `os-console` and the security model of the Diode. The commercial products feel familiar from day one.
2. Reference implementation. Every line of code written for os-workplace is reviewable in the public monorepo. Customers can audit the substrate before they buy commercial aggregation against it.
3. Ecosystem gravity. A growing community of os-workplace users creates an independent constituency of contributors, packagers, and translators that no commercial-only product can replicate. The contributor model describes the roles and rights for community participation.

[edit]See also

• os-family-overview — the eight-OS family and where os-workplace fits
• totebox-os — the data partner; the archive os-workplace pairs with
• console-os — the alternative TUI-first surface for operators who want keyboard-only control
• machine-based-auth — the pairing model that replaces usernames and passwords
• hardware-reference — full CPU and hardware requirements for the PointSav family