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So, you are interested in contributing to the GNU Hurd effort?

Welcome!  Every single contribution is very much encouraged!

There are various ways of contributing, read on about contributing to...

# These wiki pages

Please read about [[how_to_contribute_to_this_wiki|wiki]].


# The system itself

There are essential two kinds of Hurd system designs.


## Hurd on Mach

For one there's the implementation of the *[[Hurd]] running on the
[[GNU_Mach_microkernel|microkernel/mach/gnumach]]*.  This is what is commonly
meant when people are talking about GNU/Hurd systems.

This system has mostly been designed and implemented [in the
'90s](http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/history.html).  It works and is usable.
For example, this wiki system [is running on a GNU/Hurd
system](http://www.bddebian.com/cgi-bin/uptime).

You can try it out for yourself: for getting access, installing
[[Debian_GNU/Hurd|hurd/running/debian]] will probably be the easiest and most
feature-complete solution.  If you don't have spare hardware to use for doing
so, you can also get a
[[shell_account_on_a_public_Hurd_machine|public_hurd_boxen]].  Depending on the
things you're going to work on (and on your internet connection), this may be
an easy way of getting used to Hurd systems.  Installing in a virtual machine
is another possibility, see the page about
[[running_a_Hurd_system|hurd/running]] for the full story.

Then you can either play around and eventually strive to do something
useful or -- if you want -- ask us to assign something to you, depending
on the skills you have and the resources you intend to invest.

Please spend some time with thinking about the items in this [[questionnaire]].

For more reading resources, please see this whole wiki, and also
<http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/devel.html>,
<http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/docs.html> for links to a bunch of documents,
and <http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/> in general.


## Hurd on a modern microkernel

Developers [[have_identified|critique]] a number of problem with the *Hurd on
Mach* system.  Problems, that can not easily be fixed by bug-fixing the
existing code base, but which require design changes -- deep going ones
actually.

As such systems (as the desired one) are not in common use, but are -- if at
all -- research projects, this new *Hurd on a modern microkernel* project
itself is more a research project than a *sit down and implement/code/hack*
project.

If you're interested in contributing in this area, knowing the *Hurd on Mach*
system nevertheless is a prerequisite.  At least have a deep look at the
documentation pointers given in the previous section.  Also read through the
[[HurdNG|hurd/ng]] section of this wiki.

Please send email to the [[mailing_lists/l4-hurd]] mailing list for discussing
this post-Mach system design.