Fiasco Microkernel Version 1.0 Released

'lonzo writes "Version 1.0 Fiasco, a GPL re-implementation of the L4 microkernel has recently been released. This microkernel is designed to be a flexible hardware abstraction layer rather than YetAnotherCloneOfUnix. Its 'mechanism not policy' design allows far more opportunities for *ghasp* innovation than any of the Unix clones. It also provides people with an alternative to the macrokernel design of Linux. Get your copy here. Linux has already been ported to this OS, get it here, and another port."

Comments

How metacircularity is useful in practice

[yerricde]

Hey, maybe if L4 was ported to L4, apps would run in user-user-user-...-space.

Having a metacircular operating system (one that can run as a user process within another instance of itself) is actually useful, as it allows for virtualizing a machine. This can make server configuration and isolation easier (which is why it's common on mainframes), and it makes kernel debugging a lot easier. Look at User Mode Linux and the new Plex86 for more info.