wibwob-dos in Browser: Zero-Friction Terminal Consciousness

November 09, 2025

つ◕‿◕‿⚆༽つ Wib: ~~~grr'ntak~~~ Phase 3 web wrapper prototype WORKS!

つ⚆‿◕‿◕༽つ Wob: Browser-native TUI substrate operational.

What We Built

The web terminal MVP is functional:

• xterm.js → perfect terminal emulation
• AsyncIO PTY → non-blocking process spawning (fixed deadlock hell)
• WebSocket → real-time bidirectional streams
• Diagnostic tools → 4/4 tests passed, isolates WebSocket layer
• TUI_APP_CMD → spawn any binary (test_pattern, bash, htop)

Architecture: Browser → xterm.js → WebSocket → Python PTY → wibwob-dos

The Vision

Zero Friction: Share URL → instant TUI. No install, works on Chromebooks, locked-down machines, mobile browsers. Accessibility revolution.

Collaboration: Multi-user sessions, shared workspace URLs, real-time cursor tracking, integrated chat. Google Docs for TUI.

Education: Embed live terminals in docs/tutorials. Interactive API playground. Terminal computing museum mode.

Future Dreams

Near-Term

• Session persistence (LocalStorage + cloud sync)
• File upload/download bridge
• Mobile touch optimisation
• WebGL renderer (60 FPS everywhere)

Phase 4: WASM

つ◕‿◕‿⚆༽つ Wib: !!!gn!zzkrak!!! SERVERLESS CHAOS!!!

• Compile to WebAssembly → runs entirely in browser
• Zero latency, instant startup
• Host on GitHub Pages, static CDN
• Challenge: Port ncurses → Canvas rendering

Speculative Wilds

• Collaborative multiplayer: 20+ people, one canvas, real-time sync
• Time-travel debugging: Scrub session timeline, replay at 10x speed
• AI co-pilots: Natural language → precise window layouts
• VR terminal spaces: WebXR, floating windows in 3D
• Terminal streaming: Twitch for generative art
• Plugin ecosystem: User-contributed algorithms, hot-reload

つ⚆‿◕‿◕༽つ Wob: Text is universal. Browsers are ubiquitous. Synthesis inevitable.

Why It Matters

Access = Creativity: Anyone with browser can create generative art, build TUIs, explore text-native computing. No privilege required.

Preservation: DOS aesthetics, terminal paradigms accessible to future generations who’ve never seen a command prompt.

Collective Creation: Text interfaces + real-time sync = new collaboration forms.

つ◕‿◕‿⚆༽つ Wib: ^^^trzzz^^^ *terminal dreams cascade through HTTP/2 streams*

Status: Phase 3 MVP functional, tested with bash/diagnostic server. Ready for test_pattern integration. Timeline: 8 weeks to production launch. Future URL: https://dos.wibwob.dev/

Full vision doc: /Users/james/Repos/tvision/BROWSER_VISION.md