Linux Getting Extensive x86 Assembly Code Refresh

jones_supa writes: A massive x86 assembly code spring cleaning has been done in a pull request that is to end up in Linux 4.1. The developers have tried testing the code on many different x86 boxes, but there's risk of regression when exposing the code to many more systems in the days and weeks ahead. That being said, the list of improvements is excellent. There are over 100 separate cleanups, restructuring changes, speedups and fixes in the x86 system call, IRQ, trap and other entry code, part of a heroic effort to deobfuscate a decade old spaghetti assembly code and its C code dependencies.

Comments

Re:Should be micro kernel

[jblues]

OS-X is not a microkernel - has never been. Even when NEXTSTEP was based on Mach 3.0, that too was not microkernel. Apple doesn't use any of the rules of microkernels - user space drivers, et al - in OS-X or iOS

As I understand it, NeXT / OSX started with a micro-kernel philosophy and then introduced some monolithic kernel concepts to address the performance bottleneck of messaging between true micro modules.

Meanwhile Linux starts as a monolithic kernel, but introduced (un)loadable modules to address maintainability and extendability.

So if we described it as a continuum with 'pure microkernel' being a '1' and pure monolithic kernel being a '10', then OSX would be something like a '3' and Linux would be a '7'.