Mageia forum

Hurd kernel is already usable and beyond Hurd Debian distro http://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/index.en.html , we have ArchHurd http://www.archhurd.org/ .

We read in wikipedia about Hurd:
"GNU Hurd (usually referred to as the Hurd) is a computer operating system kernel designed as a replacement for Unix,[1] released as free software under the GNU General Public License. It has been under development since 1990 by the GNU Project of the Free Software Foundation.
GNU Hurd consists of a set of protocols and server processes (or daemons, in Unix terminology) that run on the GNU Mach microkernel; together they are intended to form the kernel of the GNU operating system.[1] The Hurd aims to surpass Unix operating systems in functionality, security, and stability, while remaining largely compatible with them. The GNU Project chose the microkernel server–client architecture for the operating system, due to perceived advantages over the traditional Unix monolithic kernel architecture.[2]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurd

Debian and Arch are already working on ports with Hurd kernel, as is Mageia community in the future could have a distro port to Hurd too.

If the Linux kernel be monolithic is so good, think about the possibilities with the Hurd kernel is much more advanced because it is based on a microkernel and independent modules to manage the machine.

Mageia Hurd, the future?

Where are the advantages for endusers?

FWIW, not everything which is technically possible should be done or is really of any use.

When Hurd kernel be mature and stable, Linux kernel seem prehistoric!

Since its creation Hurd kernel is technically superior.

fraterlinux wrote:Since its creation Hurd kernel is technically superior.

[citation required]

Just understand the difference of structure of monolithic linux kernel and microkernel-based operating systems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurd

fraterlinux wrote:Just understand the difference of structure of monolithic linux kernel and microkernel-based operating systems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurd

Firstly, Wikipedia, while nice, is insufficient. By its very nature it is prone to errors, misunderstandings and subjective points of view.
Information found on the GNU Hurd website might be interesting, but again, not sufficient.
What you need is a peer reviewed article discussing the merits and shortcomings of both monolithic kernels and a microkernel based operating system which provide figures and data sufficient to mount a plausible argument for either one written by an uninterested third party.

Secondly, and this is the more important point, one cannot simply make large grandiose proclamations and then when pressed for an explanation or details simply reply with "read the literature". The burden of proof is on you, the proclaimer. I have no interest in reading all the literature there is to read about this subject, and certainly not from a site that provides, at best, second-rate information. If you want to be taken seriously you have to show that you can be taken seriously. You provided us with a point of view and no logical explanation for this point of view, nothing to support it. Why should I agree with you? You give me no reason to. In fact, you give me ample reason to side with the other point of view due to this reasoning:
This fellow clearly believes such-and-such. And yet, he or she provides no proof, no argument nor any reason that this is in fact true. Therefore I can conclude that no such logical reasoning exists, or that this person cannot clearly explain why he or she believes such-and-such. Therefore I think that non-such-and-such must be true, or at least have a stronger case for being true.

Don't take this personally, but this just isn't how polite and rational discourse happens.
I for one am quite open to new ideas, but this is no way to present them.

fraterlinux wrote:When Hurd kernel be mature and stable, Linux kernel seem prehistoric!

Since its creation Hurd kernel is technically superior.

Even if that's the case, what advantages does that bring for servers, and what for endusers?
Technical superiority doesn't mean anything, if if doesn't bring some clear and useable advantages.

Max,

It's getting a little tiring defending an idea when there is no interest in seeking information in the standard literature. What more could I say that literature does? Nothing!

Is it always necessary to reinvent the wheel for it to exist and be useful?

doktor5000,

So we can gross say that a monolithic kernel as indivisible block may crash completely when dealing with a particular task, since it manages the whole machine.
Microkernel manages independent servers. So it's much faster and responsive multitasking and if a server crash, the rest of Hurd will continue operating losses less than a monolithic kernel whole locked.
For end users is still far from presenting practical results. For servers as soon as the developers able to release a stable version will show the advantages of dealing with multiple requests faster and be less susceptible to crashes.

Well, linux with it's monolithic kernel which is prone to crashes as you say has the major part for marketshare for usage on webservers, for example.
Some of them with uptimes over a year, not using much resources and most responsive. I'd say hurd kernel would still need to prove that it's better and more stable at once.

Only time will tell!

Yes that - and and Richard Stallman:

If we did face the question that people ask---if Linux were already available, and we were considering whether to start writing another kernel---we would not do it. ...........

http://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/hurd-and-linux.html
You have made me curious though so I will test ArchHurd in VB...

viking60,

Then tell us how was the experience. Another curious fact that the only boot manager that has ability to start HURD and all your servers is GRUB

short report: It hangs during boot with the message

Code: Select all

ppa: Probing port 0278

For a loooong time - but dont give up it will get past it. Then we arrive at the login where we use 'login USER' to log in. So I will take it from there...
Made the partitions, Hurd style, and ready to install ArchHurd - this is getting exiting.
Archhurd keeps freezing so I am not able to do much with it. So far I cannot see the advantages so I must join the ranks of the skeptics here.