Version 0.4. Subject to change in backwards-incompatible ways.

Funicular is a system that semi-automates the creation of development environments on eclectic architectures.

"Semi-automate" means it automates what it can, and provides repeatable instructions for you to follow for what it can't.

"Development environment" means an environment in which you can build (and perhaps even write) software. Thus it is typically populated with programming language interpreters and compilers, debuggers, text editors, and the like.

"Eclectic architectures" is not terribly-well defined, but it includes retrocomputing and esoteric architectures. Basically, if you've got an emulator for it, and installation images for it, you might be able to install and outfit and run a system for it, using Funicular.

It's kind of like a Vagrant for the lunatic fringe, eh?

It is currently a work in progress. The current released version of Funicular is version 0.4, but this means next to nothing.

It currently supports:

• i386 running NetBSD under QEMU
• i386 running FreeDOS under QEMU
• Commodore 64 with a 1541 floppy drive under VICE
• VIC-20 with a 1541 floppy drive under VICE

And partially supports:

• Apple //e running AppleDOS under Linapple

Funicular unifies and replaces the discrete, ad-hoc projects NetBSD-Gondola, FreeDOS-Gondola, and Amiga-Gondola.

• cd into a directory that has a Funicularfile.
• Run funicular init system.
• Acquire the appropriate install image.
• Run funicular install.
• Run funicular init setup.
• Run funicular setup.
• ...

The reference implementation of the funicular tool is written in Bourne shell. A Funicularfile is also written in Bourne shell, but it mostly contains configuration, not functionality.

You can look at the settings in the example Funicularfiles in eg/ and look them up in the source code in script/ to divine what they mean.

Because the entire thing was recently rewritten (converting it from Lua to Bourne shell), there really isn't any further documentation right now except for this out-of-date set of notes.

The contents of this repository are in the public domain. This, of course, applies only to the contents of this repository, and not to the contents of any particular Funicular you build with with this software. See the file UNLICENSE in this directory for more information.