Re: ANN: the unix pestilence

From: Derk Gwen (derkgwen_at_HotPOP.com)
Date: 05/12/03 

Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 08:14:04 -0000

# Please share a couple of your favorite references!

Unfortunately they would be rather dated. You can start with places like
http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Software/Operating_Systems/Research/

Things like nanokernels and exokernels that would allow multiple operating systems
on one machine, a process even farming out tasks the operating system that best
matches its needs of the moment.

Before unix, multics had the notion that all disk files are attached as vm segments
instead of openned as files. Access the disk files as vm instead of files and you
automatically have persistent objects. Shared vm, something unices still can't seem
to get right, was as simple as both processes openning the same file and getting
the same segment.

Some experimental systems had the notion of instead of openning an application to
open a file, the document had data segments that corresponded to the document text,
and other segments would be executable code segments that integrated into the
object. The concepts of file and program become more intermingled.

I don't know if any of these ideas are robust enough or efficient enough to be
as useful as Linux or Solaris or any other unix, but unix should not be thought
of as the be-all and end-all of os excellence. 

--
Derk Gwen http://derkgwen.250free.com/html/index.html
Where do you get those wonderful toys?

Relevant Pages

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