Microkernel: The Comeback?

bariswheel writes "In a paper co-authored by the Microkernel Maestro Andrew Tanenbaum, the fragility of modern kernels are addressed: "Current operating systems have two characteristics that make them unreliable and insecure: They are huge and they have very poor fault isolation. The Linux kernel has more than 2.5 million lines of code; the Windows XP kernel is more than twice as large." Consider this analogy: "Modern ships have multiple compartments within the hull; if one compartment springs a leak, only that one is flooded, not the entire hull. Current operating systems are like ships before compartmentalization was invented: Every leak can sink the ship." Clearly one argument here is security and reliability has surpassed performance in terms of priorities. Let's see if our good friend Linus chimes in here; hopefully we'll have ourselves another friendly conversation."

Comments

Resurrecting the dead

[bradgoodman]

I think time not only proved Tannanbaum wrong, but gave him a huge ass-whooping, and made him go into the kitchen and make him a pot-pie! Whatever "theoretical" basis may be true - the practical reality has told us otherwise. Below is a 1992 email debate between Torvalds and Tannanbaum. http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/opensources/book/ap pa.html

Titanic

[JamieKitson]

The unsinkable kernel!

Re:Feh.

[Cenuij]

Mod me down, whip me with a birch branch, tar & feather me, debag & raddish me...

Whatever you will but please mod the parent up.