Re: Hurd [was:M$ licenses Unix]

["Paul Smith" <pausmith@nortelnetworks.com>]

%% "nate" <debian-user@aphroland.org> writes:

  n> Isn't QNX microkernel-based?

Yep, very much so.  In QNX, just about the only thing in the kernel is a
scheduler.  Even processes are handled by a userland driver (the kernel
itself only knows about, and schedules, threads).  If you have a smaller
embedded system you can do away with the process handler altogether and
go with a single memory architecture, multi-threaded system (a la
VxWorks... ugh!)

All the hardware drivers, tty, filesystems, network layers, etc.;
everything is a userland driver that is stopped/started separately (of
course you can register interrupt handlers to run inside the kernel but
usually you don't).

Also, QNX is very aggressively POSIX compliant; it is more compliant and
fully supports more parts of the POSIX standard than any other OS I've
ever used, including Linux.

QNX is pretty cool, I have to say.  Expensive tho.


And, I guess, somewhat OT for this mailing list :).

-- 
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 Paul D. Smith <psmith@nortelnetworks.com>   HASMAT--HA Software Mthds & Tools
 "Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
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