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| -rw-r--r-- | contributing/web_pages/news/2011-q2-ps.mdwn | 76 |
1 files changed, 36 insertions, 40 deletions
diff --git a/contributing/web_pages/news/2011-q2-ps.mdwn b/contributing/web_pages/news/2011-q2-ps.mdwn index 778caf2d..549dabd0 100644 --- a/contributing/web_pages/news/2011-q2-ps.mdwn +++ b/contributing/web_pages/news/2011-q2-ps.mdwn @@ -26,72 +26,66 @@ net. While we are happy to see that there obviously is quite some interest in the GNU Hurd, we also saw some rumors and outdated information flowing around. In the following, we try to clear the situation up a bit. - * *Debian wants to replace the Linux kernel with the GNU Hurd*. {X} - **Wrong**. We plan to get into Wheezy as an additional port besides - GNU/Linux and GNU/kFreeBSD -- but we don't know whether we will make it. - It mostly depends on a lot of work which is still to be done. If you - want to help, please see our [[contributing]] page and the *to do* list - maintained on <http://wiki.debian.org/Debian_GNU/Hurd>. - We’d be happy to have you on board! - - * *Java support for GNU/Hurd is in the works*. (./) **True**. Jérémie - Koenig is working on making a versatile Java programming environment - available on the GNU/Hurd as part of his [[Google Summer of Code - project|user/jkoenig/java]], focussing on OpenJDK 7. Also, we already do - have support by the GCJ/ECJ platform, but this is not fully functional, and - Jérémie is improving that, too. - - * *GNU/Hurd has no support for X.org*. {X} **Wrong**. X.Org *does* - work, and has for a long time. (Anyone remember + * **Debian GNU Hurd works to become a port in Debian**: We plan to + get into Wheezy as an additional port besides GNU/Linux and + GNU/kFreeBSD -- but we don't know whether we will make it. It + mostly depends on a lot of work which is still to be done. If you + want to help, please see our [[contributing]] page and the *to do* + list maintained on <http://wiki.debian.org/Debian_GNU/Hurd>. We’d + be happy to have you on board! + + * **Java support for GNU/Hurd is nearby**: Jérémie Koenig is working + on making a versatile Java programming environment available on + the GNU/Hurd as part of his + [[Google Summer of Code project|user/jkoenig/java]], focussing on + OpenJDK 7. Also, we already do have support by the GCJ/ECJ + platform, but this is not fully functional, and Jérémie is + improving that, too. + + * **GNU/Hurd supports X.org, though a bit unstable**: X.Org *does* + work, and has worked for a long time. (Anyone remember [1998's XFree86](http://cvsweb.xfree86.org/cvsweb/xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/os-support/hurd/hurd_video.c?rev=1.1&content-type=text/vnd.viewcvs-markup), by chance?) It is correct however that not a lot of advanced drivers work, due to missing DRM (Direct Rendering Manager) support and that it is [[somewhat_unstable|hurd/status]]. -[[tschwinge]] thinks that the following one is a bit questionable... - - * *The GNU/Hurd only runs on legacy hardware*. {X} **Wrong**. The GNU/Hurd - is only tested on a few platforms, but it likely runs on modern processors. - If you want to see if it works for you, just test a - [[hurd/running/Live_CD]]. - - * *Hurd only supports legacy devices:* ½ Partly True: Currently most + * **The Hurd has weaker device support than Linux**: Currently most drivers are from Linux 2.0. For network cards, Linux 2.6+ drivers are available through DDE, though (needs manual setup for now). With a good amount of work, DDE also allows porting other classes of drivers to allow using the drivers from recent Linux releases — and push them into userspace. - * *The Hurd has no SMP:* <u>✔ **True**</u>: The **Hurd servers - support SMP** and **GNU Mach has SMP support**. But the latter + * **The Hurd has SMP, but Mach needs drivers for new chipsets**: The + **Hurd servers support SMP** and **GNU Mach has SMP support**. But + the latter [[does_not_yet_have_drivers_for_nowadays_chipsets|faq/smp]], so the Hurd currently can’t take advantage of multiple cores. - * *Developing a microkernel must be harder than developing a - monolithic kernel, because the Hurd took so long:* ✘ **Wrong**: - For the last decade, the Hurd had on average 5 hobby - developers. That these developers managed to get the Hurd into a - state where it actually gets not too far from the Linux kernel in - performance — which has about 1000 developers, many of them full - time — shows the efficiency of the Hurd’s design. + * **The good design of the Hurd allowed a tiny group of enthusiasts + to make it work**: For the last decade, the Hurd had on average 5 + hobby developers. That these developers managed to get the Hurd + into a state where it actually gets not too far from the Linux + kernel in performance — which has about 1000 developers, many of + them full time — shows the efficiency of the Hurd’s design. - * *Installation does not work:* ½ Partly True: Did you read the + * **Manual Installation is still challenging**: Please read the [[README|http://people.debian.org/~sthibault/hurd-i386/installer/cdimage/YES_REALLY_README.txt]] ([[file|http://xkcd.com/293/]])? Just like any beta piece of software, there are known pitfalls to avoid (or better, help to fix). You can also simply use the the [[preinstalled image|http://people.debian.org/~sthibault/hurd-i386/debian-hurd.img.tar.gz]]. - * *The system is called GNU/GNU Hurd:* ✘ **Wrong**: The GNU userland - (glibc, coreutils, …) and the GNU Hurd together form the GNU - system. To avoid being mistaken for GNU/Linux, we normally use - the name GNU/Hurd or GNU Hurd. The *correct* name is simply GNU. + * **The system is called GNU**: The GNU userland (glibc, coreutils, + …) and the GNU Hurd together form the GNU system. To avoid being + mistaken for GNU/Linux, we normally use the name GNU/Hurd or GNU + Hurd. The *correct* name is simply GNU. **Test results** The results of the test from Phoronix were quite good. We expected that the microkernel design of the Hurd would have a far more severe -performance hit. +performance hit. Some possible explanations include: @@ -103,6 +97,8 @@ Note: The emulation layer should rather make the context switches worse, so it’s likely not a reason for the unexpectedly good performance. +We hope to see more tests like that in the future! + [ipc]: http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.51.16 """]] |