From 1e67a761cbfa94a69cec2f5709d23d7983cd0fc1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Thomas Schwinge Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:55:21 +0100 Subject: Talk about advantages, challenges, how many developers, why so few developers. --- advantages.mdwn | 71 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 71 insertions(+) create mode 100644 advantages.mdwn (limited to 'advantages.mdwn') diff --git a/advantages.mdwn b/advantages.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 00000000..18e6506b --- /dev/null +++ b/advantages.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,71 @@ +[[!meta copyright="Copyright © 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010 Free Software Foundation, +Inc."]] + +[[!meta license="""[[!toggle id="license" text="GFDL 1.2+"]][[!toggleable +id="license" text="Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this +document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or +any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant +Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license +is included in the section entitled [[GNU Free Documentation +License|/fdl]]."]]"""]] + +The GNU Hurd has a number of enticing features: + +It's free software, so anybody can use, modify, and redistribute it under the +terms of the [[GNU General Public License (GPL)|GPL]]. + +It's compatible as it provides a familiar programming and user environment. +For all intents and purposes, the Hurd provides the same facilities as a modern +[[Unix]]-like kernel. The Hurd uses the [[GNU C Library|glibc]], whose +development closely tracks standards such as ANSI/ISO, BSD, POSIX, Single Unix, +SVID, and X/Open. + +Unlike other popular kernel software, the Hurd has an object-oriented structure +that allows it to evolve without compromising its design. This structure will +help the Hurd undergo major redesign and modifications without having to be +entirely rewritten. + +The Hurd is built in a very modular fashion. Other Unix-like kernels (Linux, +for example) are also modular in that they allow loading (and unloading) some +components as kernel modules, but the Hurd goes one step further in that most +of the components that constitute the whole kernel are running as separate +user-space processes and are thus using different address spaces that are +isolated from each other. This is a multi-server design based on a +[[microkernel]]. It is not possible that a faulty memory dereference inside +the [[TCP/IP stack|hurd/translator/pfinet]] can bring down the whole kernel, +and thus the whole system, which is a real problem in a monolothic Unix kernel +architecture. + +One advantage of the Hurd's separation of kernel-like functionality into +separate components ([[servers|hurd/translator]]) is that these can be +constructed using different programming lanugages -- a feature that is not +easily possible in a monolithic kernel. Essentially, only an interface from +the programming environment to the [[RPC]] mechanism is required. (We have a +[[project proposal|community/gsoc/project_ideas/language_bindings]] for this, +if you're interested.) + + + +The Hurd is an attractive platform for learning how to become a kernel hacker +or for implementing new ideas in kernel technology. Every part of the system +is designed to be easily modified and extended. + +It is possible to develop and test new Hurd kernel components without rebooting +the machine. Running your own kernel components doesn't interfere with other +users, and so no special system privileges are required. The mechanism for +kernel extensions is secure by design: it is impossible to impose your changes +upon other users unless they authorize them or you are the system +administrator. + +The Hurd is real software that works right now. It is not a research project +or a proposal. You don't have to wait at all before you can [[start +using|hurd/running]] and [[developing|contributing]] it. + + -- cgit v1.2.3