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Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added

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wjwlsn wrote:

> On Wednesday, February 12, 2014 8:59:00 
AM UTC-5, RS Wood wrote:
>> On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 11:24:08 +0000 
(UTC) Oregonian Haruspex wrote: > >
>> While I think it's very neat that the 
GNU project is still chugging along
>> > with HURD, I think this project is 
just moving too slow for it to be
>> able > to catch up to Linux at this 
point. Perhaps that isn't the goal,
>> but if it > isn't (ie replace Linux as 
the kernel for the GNU OS) then
>> what IS the > goal? Isn't the benefit 
of a microkernal the fact that you
>> can easily swap in and out drivers or 
other kernel modules - in kernel
>> space? I don't understand why you'd 
want drivers in user space, and how
>> the Hurd kernel makes this 
possible/necessary.
> 
> I'm no kernel expert, but having 
drivers in user space really limits the
> extent to which a misbehaving driver 
can affect the kernel. The same goes
> for file systems, protocol stacks, 
security systems, etc. The kernel could
> shutdown and restart any of those as it 
sees fit. It may even be able to
> restart itself (or by a watchdog) 
without major interruption (like a hang
> or reboot).
> 
> As an analogy, think of it as a 
protected hypervisor or host OS that runs
> all user sessions in their own VMs. If 
one of the VMs goes wonky, it
> shouldn't affect any of the others, and 
the host can just restart the one
> with the problem.
Moreover a user without root privileges
can add a driver for, say, a printer or a 
camera without having to bother a 
sysadmin...not of interest to a home user 
but in an enterprise/corporate 
environment potentially quite a boon

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Thread

GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-11 21:36 +0000
  Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-12 11:24 +0000
    Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-12 13:59 +0000
      Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added wjwlsn <ibillwilson@gmail.com> - 2014-02-12 08:30 -0800
        Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added TrueSatan <true_satan@fastmail.co.uk> - 2014-02-12 17:02 +0000
          Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added RS Wood <rsw@therandymon.com> - 2014-02-12 17:08 +0000
            Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added TrueSatan <true_satan@fastmail.co.uk> - 2014-02-12 18:02 +0000
              OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-12 13:51 -0800
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST TrueSatan <true_satan@fastmail.co.uk> - 2014-02-12 22:07 +0000
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST Oregonian Haruspex <bob_davis_retired@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-12 14:42 -0800
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST owner <true_satan@fastmail.co.uk> - 2014-02-13 02:29 +0000
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-13 05:45 +0000
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST True Satan <true_satan@fastmail.co.uk> - 2014-02-13 12:23 +0000
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST cykros@devio.us - 2014-02-13 15:27 +0000
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST True Satan <true_satan@fastmail.co.uk> - 2014-02-13 20:13 +0000
                Re: OFF TOPIC USENET LINE MANGLING NAG POST "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-14 17:42 +0100
            Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added "q.kontinuum" <achsis_of_elvis@yahoo.com> - 2014-02-12 22:09 +0000
          Re: GNU Hurds a bit less now: User space drivers added wjwlsn <ibillwilson@gmail.com> - 2014-02-12 11:11 -0800

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