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Genode OS 13.02 Features Low Latency Audio, Virtualization, Protected DMA
On the heels of their December release, the 13.02 release of the Genode multi-server microkernel OS framework continues to deliver major new features. Under the hood, there's support for the IOMMU, bringing safe bus master DMA to userspace drivers (overcoming one of the final advantages monolithic kernels had). They've also added full virtualization support, good enough to boot Linux as an application. In the cool department, they've added a new low latency audio interface that could very well pave the way for something akin to JACK, and right now provides a lightweight way for the system to beep at you in real time . A few more libraries have been ported (libssh, curl, iconv) in preparation for a port of git to the Noux native GNU runtime. There are also a bunch of other improvements to their NOVA microkernel, support for running on the Exynos 5250 and Freescale i.MX53, a new console multiplexer, improvements to the display server, simplification of the base libraries, and more. I'll be attempting to build it and give it a spin to see how well it works in practice sometime soon.
HURG: Hurg of Unix Replacing Genodes
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
No, I rather keep a monolithic kernel for performance. Then I'll enable some security hooks... and run server and sensitive stuff in a VM... hoping that the bare metal which I use for games won't get compromised... hmm...
OK, TANENBAUM WAS RIGHT.
---- MISSING MISCELLANEOUS DATA SEGMENT --- [sigdash] trolololol
I think there's a lot of interest in microkernels right now in the mobile world... single chip, running something like OKL4 or Genode with GNU/Linux as a server and the radio stack as another server, completely isolated. It's easier to trust a small microkernel won't allow resources to leak between servers than it is to trust something huge like Xen.
HAL 7000, fewer features than the HAL 9000, but just as homicidal!
Will it blend?
(wonder how many entendre we can generate with that one...)
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
It looks like it is on the spot with virtualization but has anyone audited or inspected the code? Are any of these features comparable to Qubes? Why would I choose this OS?
Just asking anyone more familiar with this project to explain to me the pros and cons compared to other projects.
They're making progress. The system now runs on bare hardware. For a while, it ran on top of Linux, more of a demo than an OS. Now it can run directly on ARM machines. That's useful. It should run on the Allwinner ARM parts from China ($7 each in bulk) and we may see products from China using it.
It's interesting to read over the documentation, what there is of it. The "API reference" is links to C++ .h files which make heavy use of templates. Like this:
typedef Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_create_thread,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_utcb,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_kill_thread,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_set_pager,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_start,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_pause,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_resume,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_cancel_blocking,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_set_state,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_get_state,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_exception_handler,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_single_step,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_num_cpus,
Meta::Type_tuple<Rpc_affinity,
Meta::Empty>
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > Rpc_functions;
Better for security to do it at compile time than at run time.