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Initial SERMO-BBS: a telnet PC that boots SERMO-DOS

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A rubbs-based telnet server that drops every caller into a simulated PC:
it POSTs, boots, loads SERMO-DOS, and lands at a C:\> prompt. Built-in DOS
commands (VER/DATE/TIME/ECHO/MEM/DIR/CLS/HELP/EXIT) behave; anything else
is routed to Sermo::Oracle as a question — the hook for a future LLM.

Built on rubbs' configurable BBS::FakeOS engine; the whole OS lives in
lib/sermo/dos.rb as a FakeOS.define block, so new character-mode OSes are
added as config files, not engine changes.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
mr.zero
2026-06-05 20:08:34 +02:00
co-authored by Claude Opus 4.8
commit 25b985c7a2
12 changed files with 310 additions and 0 deletions
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.gitignore
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/.bundle/
/vendor/bundle/
*.log
.DS_Store
Dockerfile
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FROM ruby:3.3-alpine
RUN apk add --no-cache git build-base
WORKDIR /app
COPY Gemfile Gemfile.lock ./
RUN bundle install
COPY sermo.rb entrypoint.sh ./
COPY lib/ ./lib/
RUN chmod +x entrypoint.sh
EXPOSE 2323
ENTRYPOINT ["./entrypoint.sh"]
Gemfile
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source 'https://rubygems.org'
gem 'bbs', git: 'https://git.teletype.hu/tools/rubbs.git'
Gemfile.lock
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GIT
remote: https://git.teletype.hu/tools/rubbs.git
revision: 4d38046c7056e0edbad02f7046ce83522124dccd
specs:
bbs (0.4.0)
artii (~> 2.1)
GEM
remote: https://rubygems.org/
specs:
artii (2.1.2)
PLATFORMS
arm64-darwin-22
ruby
DEPENDENCIES
bbs!
BUNDLED WITH
2.5.22
README.md
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# SERMO-BBS
A telnet server that drops every caller into a simulated PC. It POSTs, boots,
loads **SERMO-DOS**, and leaves you at a `C:\>` prompt. Built-in DOS commands
behave like the real thing; anything else you type is treated as a question and
answered by SERMO's conversational core.
Built on the [rubbs](https://git.teletype.hu/tools/rubbs) gem, using its
configurable `BBS::FakeOS` character-mode OS simulator.
## Running
**Directly (Ruby 3.x):**
```bash
bundle install
ruby sermo.rb
```
**Docker Compose:**
```bash
docker compose up --build # exposes telnet on host port 2324
```
Connect:
```bash
telnet localhost 2323 # or 2324 with docker compose
```
## Configuration
| Variable | Default | Description |
|------------|---------|--------------------------------|
| `BBS_PORT` | `2323` | TCP port to listen on |
| `BBS_IDLE` | `900` | Idle seconds before disconnect |
## Layout
```
sermo.rb entry point — config, flow, BBS.start
lib/sermo/dos.rb the MS-DOS profile (BBS::FakeOS.define): boot sequence,
DOS commands, and the on_unknown → conversation hook
lib/sermo/oracle.rb the conversational core (canned replies for now)
```
## Talking to SERMO / wiring an LLM
At the `C:\>` prompt, `VER`, `DATE`, `TIME`, `ECHO`, `MEM`, `DIR`, `CLS`,
`HELP` and `EXIT` are real commands. Type anything else and it goes to
`Sermo::Oracle.answer`, which currently returns canned, in-character replies.
To make SERMO actually think, replace the body of `Sermo::Oracle.answer`
(`lib/sermo/oracle.rb`) with a call to your model and return its text — that
method is the only integration point.
## Adding more operating systems
A simulated OS is pure configuration: a `BBS::FakeOS.define { … }` block with a
`prompt`, `colors`, a `boot` sequence, a `command` table and an `on_unknown`
fallback. To add another character-mode OS (CP/M, an AmigaDOS CLI, …), drop a
new file in `lib/sermo/` and point the flow at it in `sermo.rb`. No changes to
the rubbs engine are needed.
docker-compose.dev.yaml
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services:
sermo:
build: .
container_name: sermo-bbs
ports:
- "2324:2323"
volumes:
- ./:/app/
environment:
- BBS_PORT=2323
restart: unless-stopped
stdin_open: true
tty: true
docker-compose.yaml
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services:
sermo:
build: .
container_name: sermo-bbs
ports:
- "2324:2323"
environment:
- BBS_PORT=2323
restart: unless-stopped
stdin_open: true
tty: true
entrypoint.sh
Executable
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#!/bin/sh
set -e
bundle update bbs
exec bundle exec ruby sermo.rb
env-example
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# Copy to .env (used by docker compose) and adjust as needed.
BBS_PORT=2323
BBS_IDLE=900
lib/sermo/dos.rb
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# frozen_string_literal: true
require 'bbs'
require 'time'
require_relative 'oracle'
module Sermo
# An MS-DOS-flavoured machine for SERMO-BBS: pretend you sat down at an old
# PC, watched it POST and boot, and landed at a C:\> prompt. Built-in DOS
# commands behave; anything else is treated as a question and handed to
# Sermo::Oracle (the conversational core).
#
# This whole OS is data: to add another character-mode OS later, write a new
# BBS::FakeOS.define block in its own file — no engine changes needed.
DOS = BBS::FakeOS.define do
name 'SERMO-DOS'
prompt 'C:\\>'
# Classic light-grey-on-black console palette.
colors text: "\e[0;37m",
bright: "\e[1;37m",
accent: "\e[1;32m",
error: "\e[1;31m",
dim: "\e[1;30m"
# ── Power-on self test → boot ──────────────────────────────────────────────
boot do
cls
print 'Award Modular BIOS v4.51PG, An Energy Star Ally', delay: 0.3
print 'Copyright (C) 1984-98, Award Software, Inc.', newline: 2, delay: 0.3
print 'Main Processor : Intel 80486DX2 @ 66 MHz', delay: 0.2
memtest 16_384, step: 4096, delay: 0.05
print '', delay: 0.2
print 'Detecting IDE Primary Master ... SERMO HDD 504MB', delay: 0.3
print 'Detecting IDE Primary Slave ... None', delay: 0.2
print 'Detecting Floppy Drive A: ... 1.44M, 3.5 in.', newline: 2, delay: 0.3
print 'Verifying DMI Pool Data ...........', delay: 0.5
print 'Starting MS-DOS...', newline: 2, delay: 0.8
print 'HIMEM is testing extended memory...done.', delay: 0.3
print 'C:\\> LOADHIGH SMARTDRV.EXE', delay: 0.3
print 'C:\\> MSCDEX.EXE /D:SERMO0', newline: 2, delay: 0.4
cls
big_banner 'SERMO DOS', font: 'standard'
print 'SERMO-DOS Version 6.22 (c) 1994-2026 Teletype Games', delay: 0.1
print ''
end
# Shown once, after boot, before the first prompt.
ready do
puts 'Type HELP for a list of commands — or just type a question and ask.'
puts ''
end
# ── Built-in commands ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
command 'ver', help: 'Display the SERMO-DOS version' do |_args, io|
io.puts 'SERMO-DOS Version 6.22'
end
command 'cls', help: 'Clear the screen' do |_args, io|
io.cls
end
command 'date', help: 'Display the current date' do |_args, io|
io.puts Time.now.strftime('Current date is %a %m-%d-%Y')
end
command 'time', help: 'Display the current time' do |_args, io|
io.puts Time.now.strftime('Current time is %H:%M:%S')
end
command 'echo', help: 'Display a message' do |args, io|
io.puts(args.empty? ? 'ECHO is on.' : args)
end
command 'mem', help: 'Display memory usage' do |_args, io|
io.puts ' 655360 bytes total conventional memory'
io.puts ' 655360 bytes available to MS-DOS'
io.puts ' 643072 largest executable program size'
io.puts ' 15728640 bytes total contiguous extended memory'
end
command 'dir', help: 'List the directory' do |_args, io|
io.puts ' Volume in drive C is SERMO'
io.puts ' Directory of C:\\'
io.puts ''
io.puts 'COMMAND COM 54 645 06-05-26 6:22a'
io.puts 'SERMO SYS 12 080 06-05-26 6:22a'
io.puts 'AUTOEXEC BAT 128 06-05-26 6:22a'
io.puts 'CONFIG SYS 256 06-05-26 6:22a'
io.puts ' 4 file(s) 67 109 bytes'
io.puts ' 503 312 384 bytes free'
end
command 'help', '?', help: 'Show this help' do |_args, io|
io.puts 'Supported commands:'
io.puts ''
io.puts ' VER DATE TIME ECHO MEM'
io.puts ' DIR CLS HELP EXIT'
io.puts ''
io.puts 'Anything else you type is treated as a question and answered.'
end
command 'exit', 'quit', 'logoff', help: 'Disconnect' do |_args, io|
io.puts 'Goodbye.'
io.halt
end
# ── Everything else is a conversation ────────────────────────────────────────
on_unknown do |input, io|
io.newline
Sermo::Oracle.answer(input, io.ctx).each_line do |line|
io.puts " #{line.chomp}", style: :bright
end
io.newline
end
end
end
lib/sermo/oracle.rb
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# frozen_string_literal: true
module Sermo
# The conversational core of SERMO-DOS.
#
# Anything typed at the C:\> prompt that is not a built-in DOS command is
# routed here (via the FakeOS `on_unknown` hook). For now it returns canned,
# in-character replies so the machine feels alive.
#
# THIS IS THE LLM INTEGRATION POINT: to make SERMO actually think, replace
# the body of `answer` with a call to your model (e.g. the Claude API) and
# return its text. Nothing else in the project needs to change.
module Oracle
def self.answer(question, _ctx = {})
text = question.to_s.strip
case text.downcase
when /\b(hello|hi|hey|szia|hell[oó])\b/
'Greetings, caller. SERMO-DOS is listening.'
when /\bwho are you\b/, /\bmi vagy\b/
'I am SERMO-DOS — a conversational disk operating system.'
when /\b(thanks|thank you|k[oö]sz)\b/
'You are welcome.'
else
[
'My conversational core is not yet connected to a brain.',
%(You said: "#{text}"),
'(Wire Sermo::Oracle.answer to an LLM to make me think.)'
].join("\n")
end
end
end
end
sermo.rb
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# frozen_string_literal: true
require 'bbs'
require_relative 'lib/sermo/dos'
# SERMO-BBS — a telnet server that drops every caller into a simulated PC:
# it boots, loads SERMO-DOS, and leaves you at a C:\> prompt you can talk to.
BBS.configure do |config|
config.port = (ENV['BBS_PORT'] || 2323).to_i
config.mouse = false
config.idle_seconds = (ENV['BBS_IDLE'] || 900).to_i
end
# A caller's whole session is just the simulated machine.
BBS.config.flow = BBS::Flow.define do
os Sermo::DOS
end
BBS.start