hurd kernel

[GNU_man]

What's up all you linux freaks? I'm curious about the HURD kernel. Anyone here tried it out yet?

[compmodder26]

Never heard of it before you posted about it.

[techieMoe]

It's a kernel being developed by the GNU folks because they didn't think Linus' kernel was good enough. So far I've not seen any substantive proof it even runs, but here's their website if anyone wants to have a crack at it:

http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/hurd.html

[benjamin20]

i dont get it, whats there that it offeres that linux doesnt.

[techieMoe]

i dont get it, whats there that it offeres that linux doesnt.

I'm of the same opinion. Beats me. I did notice that they're basing it on the Mach microkernel, which if I have my terms correct means it's a different kind of kernel than the one Linux has. The fellow who created MINIX (Andrew Tanenbaum) has lamented time and time again that microkernels are better than monolithic kernels like Linux and that the proof that Linux is not copied from MINIX is how badly it's coded.

Perhaps the FSF and/or GNU (I can't tell who's actually writiing Hurd) just prefer the microkernel approach. I still personally don't see the big draw that's driven them to create their own kernel when a perfectly usable one already exists (and can be freely modified to fit whatever itch they want to scratch), but hey. It's their time.

[GNU_man]

Look's promising though, says it's based on an 'advanced theory' instead of the standard UNIX kernel clones ie Linux, BSD.

At least they are trying something new, i think that's commendable. As i'm sure at one point the original UNIX kernel was considered an 'advanced theory' before it was mature.

it's a kernel being developed bythe GNU folks because they didn't think Linus' kernel was good enough

I think if anything they are (understandably) upset at the fact that they created a whole O/S, but the kernel used (LInux) got all the glory, and GNU isn't even mentioned in the name, except in the case of Debian where it's rightfully called GNU/Linux.

[techieMoe]

I think if anything they are (understandably) upset at the fact that they created a whole O/S, but the kernel used (LInux) got all the glory, and GNU isn't even mentioned in the name, except in the case of Debian where it's rightfully called GNU/Linux.

[ rant ]
Richard Stallman can cry me a river. Don't get me wrong, he's done some great things (emacs in particular, being part of Debian as well) but I think the GNU project just needs to back off the whole "we're mad because Linus gets all the credit" BS.

If they're so high and mighty, let them make their own kernel (as I draw this Hurd thing is an attempt at). Perhaps it will work, perhaps not. For those of us who don't give a damn about the politics involved and just want a functional operating system we'll stick with Linux for the time being.

If the GNU were so worried about their software being used by other people they should never have released it under the GPL. I just see this as a case of "we freely released the code and don't like that someone else gets the press for using it". For people who are so ardently open-source, they sound an awful lot like SCO.
[/ rant ]

[SCO]

I like the idea of the mach kernel. Perhaps In 3-5 years GNU/Hurd will be a competitior like BSD. Im going to try it soon. If you want to try it out easily, download Debian GNU/Hurd. The Debian Project is dedicated to making binaries for it. As for as I know, you can even run X on it. If you want it pure, you can get it from cvs.

[benjamin20]

whats the difference between a microkernel and a monolithic one. hey, if they an make something that can do all linux does and still perform better than by all means do it but dont go and split up the unix comunity in the proccess. thats what we need now is a union of the unix based user base. whether they use bsd or linux or whatever.

[SCO]

Actually, I prefer the opposite. As it is know, BSD and Linux are the big guns, with a small BeOS community rising too. I like the way it is now ALOT, simply because I enjoy the BSD community more so than the Linux Community, don't get me wrong, I use Linux. But I don't like It. I think GNU/Hurd would be a splendid edition to the pack. I use alot of operating systems, including Windows. I have ones I like, and ones I don't. Windows and Linux are my least favourite by design, but have plenty of app support. BSD and BeOS are my favourite operating systems, but have little native app support.