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from the we're-gonna-create-our-own-mistakez! dept.
There's a new operating system that wants to do away with the old mistakes and cruft in other operating systems. It's called Redox OS and is available on GitHub. It's aimed at creating an alternative OS that is able to run almost all Linux executables with only minimal modifications. It features a pure ecosystem using the Rust programming language which they hope will improve correctness and security over other OSes. They are not afraid to prioritize correctness over compatibility. The philosophy being that "Redox isn't afraid of dropping the bad parts of POSIX while preserving modest Linux API compatibility."
Redox levels harsh criticisms at other OSes, saying "...we will not replicate the mistakes made by others. This is probably the most important tenet of Redox. In the past, bad design choices were made by Linux, Unix, BSD, HURD, and so on. We all make mistakes, that's no secret, but there is no reason to repeat others' mistakes." Not stopping there, the Redox documentation contains blunt critiques of Plan 9, the GPL, and other mainstays.
Redox OS seems to be supported on the i386 and x86_64 platforms. The aims are microkernel design, implementation in Rust language, optional GUI — Orbital, newlib for C programs, MIT license, drivers in userspace, common Unix commands included, and plans for ZFS.
They want to do away with syscalls that stay around forever and drivers for hardware that, for a long time, simply isn't possible to buy any more. They also provide a codebase that doesn't require you to navigate around 25 million lines of code like Linux.
Perhaps the mathematically proven L4 microkernel is something to consider over the monolithic kernel approach where any single driver can wreck the system? One aspect to look out for is if they map the graphic cards into user space.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by tangomargarine on Tuesday March 22 2016, @01:44PM
There's a new operating system that wants to do away with the old mistakes and cruft in other operating systems.
"Those who do not learn from UNIX are doomed to reimplement it, poorly."
The philosophy being that "Redox isn't afraid of dropping the bad parts of POSIX while preserving modest Linux API compatibility."
obligatory xkcd Standards [xkcd.com]
In the past, bad design choices were made by Linux, Unix, BSD, HURD, and so on. We all make mistakes, that's no secret, but there is no reason to repeat others' mistakes." Not stopping there, the Redox documentation contains blunt critiques of Plan 9, the GPL, and other mainstays.
"We know better than all these knuckleheads with their system that's actually been working for the last few decades."
The aims are microkernel design, implementation in Rust language,
Hey look, hipsters using Rust.
drivers in userspace
These guys have heard of HURD, right? Although I suppose that's kind of the platonic ideal of project failure and that doesn't necessarily mean these guys will, too.
They also provide a codebase that doesn't require you to navigate around 25 million lines of code like Linux.
Fast-forward 10 years. Hey, look! Now they're 25 million lines of code, too! Oops.
I know I'm still a wet-behind-the-ears software dev, especially concerning OSes, but I still know enough not to throw everything out the window and think I can rewrite it all myself, better.
Somebody needs to set up a cage match between these guys and Lennart Poettering :)
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"