Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

OS News Interview with Robert Watson

Posted by timothy on from the details-and-philosophy dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes: "OS News is carrying an interview with Robert Watson about FreeBSD 4.5, due out almost immediately, and FreeBSD 5.0, due out later this year. He talks a little about the related kernel development work between Linux and FreeBSD, including kernel preemption. Apparently he even reads the linux-kernel mailing list, although he complained about the volume."

5 of 14 comments (clear)

  1. Perhaps Linux can learn something here by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Maybe part of the problem with Linux patches being dropped on the floor is that there is too much going into the 2.5 series.

    Perhaps planning upon (and starting in parallel) a 3.x series with major changes is the way to go.

    --
    You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
    1. Re:Perhaps Linux can learn something here by mirabilos · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Hehe... they even change the VM system during
      a stable.
      Some weeks after I stopped reading linux-kernel.
      I know that I'll never go back.

      Ok, mod me down for expressing my opinion.
      I don't like Linux, but for technical reasons.

      --
      My Karma isn't excellent, damn it! (And /. still does not get UTF-8 right in 2012. Wow.)
  2. Looks great by LunaticLeo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I am a long time Linux/RedHat user. I definitely plan on trying out FreeBSD 4.5 and 5.0.

    I believe 5.0 will bring FreeBSD's kernel up to rough parity with the Linux kernel. FreeBSD's KSE and Security infrastructure will definitely be ahead of Linux equivalents. Kqueue is already ahead of linux async IO. I'd like to find out how far
    and how good FreeBSD's kernel module system works.

    But as I've said before fine grained locking is HARD. It'll take some time to settle out.

    Also, from the interview, I didn't quite understand his use of the term "Preemptable Kernel". On one had he said they are adding more scheduling points in the code. But that isn't strictly a "preemptable kernel" ala Robert Love's work in the Linux kernel.

    I have also heard that FreeBSD is going to integrate the NetBSD init dependency rc system. Which, depending on how you look at it, is catching up to what SysV init does, or accomplishing the intention of Sysv init in a better way. Does anyone here know if FreeBSD is committed to adopting NetBSD's rc system by some specified release? 4.5? 5.0?

    FreeBSD/Linux cross polination will be interesting.

    --
    -- I am not a fanatic, I am a true believer.
    1. Re:Looks great by xphase · · Score: 2, Informative

      Does anyone here know if FreeBSD is committed to adopting NetBSD's rc system by some specified release? 4.5? 5.0?

      According to JKH, there is no definate plan for the integration, so it may never happen. There is currently an rc system used by FreeBSD, and it(as well as NetBSD's) are completely different ideas than the way SysV init works. There are some that don't like the way init works.

      I believe 5.0 will bring FreeBSD's kernel up to rough parity with the Linux kernel.

      Many will agree that in some areas FreeBSD's kernel is superior to the linux kernel, and in some areas it is lacking. I don't think that there will ever be a rough parity between the two. I think that FreeBSD will always be better at some things while linux will be better at others.

      blah
      --xPhase

      --
      The following sentence is TRUE. The previous sentence is FALSE.
    2. Re:Looks great by Ded+Bob · · Score: 3, Informative

      According to JKH, there is no definate plan for the integration, so it may never happen.

      Actually, it might. From the JKH interview:

      [23:39] I think the NetBSD startup stuff, for example, is pretty cool
      [23:39] we're just trying to find enough bodies to finish that
      [23:39] (the merge)