GNU Hurd 0.9 & Mach 1.8 Released: Adds Ethernet Multiplexer, Mach Drops ACPI

[Mavman]

I'm very interested in developments like hurd and fuchsia, seeing the benefits it delivers en interested how they solve the downsides of a microkernel.

Are you aware of Genode.org?

I still don't get it why GNU just don't shift to seL4 or even to Genode as whole and start from there. They're both GPL'ed projects and together they would have more manpower and would all be part of something bigger. (i do understand that shifting from mach to sel4 would be sending a lot of work to the trashcan, but... come'on... mach?!?!?!... that's not even a mummy anymore!!! it's a fossil!!! And if they would base the entire system upon genode they would start far ahead than where they are now... but maybe that's just my retarded neuron speaking)

[DanL]

The way I see it, if you lack manpower for a project, the objective shifts to "get more warm bodies". Failing that, the project gets shelved or it runs the risk of becoming a running joke.

I don't disagree with that. I'm just pointing out that we're seeing things with the ginormous benefit of hindsight. Also, "get more warm bodies" isn't always a simple matter of digging deeper into a bank account.

[tmpdir]

Are you perhaps implying that 64-bit isn't part of the "complete featureset" for a kernel?

No, I said its logical to exclude it from the scope to focus the effort on a minimal viable product and add 64-bit stuff later.

[tmpdir]

Are you aware of Genode.org?

I still don't get it why GNU just don't shift to seL4 or even to Genode as whole and start from there. They're both GPL'ed projects and together they would have more manpower and would all be part of something bigger. (i do understand that shifting from mach to sel4 would be sending a lot of work to the trashcan, but... come'on... mach?!?!?!... that's not even a mummy anymore!!! it's a fossil!!! And if they would base the entire system upon genode they would start far ahead than where they are now... but maybe that's just my retarded neuron speaking)

I was not, going to look into it this weekend. Thanks for the suggestion and explaination.

[starshipeleven]

I don't disagree with that. I'm just pointing out that we're seeing things with the ginormous benefit of hindsight.

No, there is no hindsight required. Haiku and many other OSs are also running jokes that will never get anywhere because they got there too late. Hell, even Linux is likely never going to come on the desktop even if it has a strong foothold in server and embedded.

When you are doing something there is a window of opportunity to get any kind of success, once that window is closed any effort on that is wasted. For general-purpose kernels, that window closed long ago.

Also, "get more warm bodies" isn't always a simple matter of digging deeper into a bank account.

It is a matter also of goals and marketing. If you can't sell your project well enough to people developing it (either by offering $$$ or by showing how useful it would be), you can't expect to go far.