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There were quite a few non-Unix influenced operating systems that are even more worth learning about, but it seems hardly anyone knows about them or remembers t

There were quite a few non-Unix influenced operating systems that are even more worth learning about, but it seems hardly anyone knows about them or remembers them. Worthy of mention are: ITS (http://victor.se/bjorn/its/ http://victor.se/bjorn/its/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incompatible_Timesharing_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incompatible_Timesharing_Syste...) This was the original hacker system, developed and used at the AI Lab at MIT. Genera (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genera_%28operating_system%29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genera_%28operating_system%29) and the other Lisp Machine OSes. EROS (http://eros-os.org/eros.html http://eros-os.org/eros.html), a more modern research system. Also worthy of mention are the various mainframe operating systems, particularly MCP (Burroughs) and VME/B (ICL). These are all quite different to both the present day operating systems, and in many ways they were better. If all people know about are Unix-like systems (and the not too different Microsoft Windows), there will be far fewer ideas for how to improve them, never mind improving upon them.

nickpsecurity 11y ago
Supporting your point about Genera: http://www.symbolics-dks.com/Genera-why-1.htm http://www.symbolics-dks.com/Genera-why-1.htm Modern stuff caught up to quite a few of these. However, we still don't have a platform where (a) entire system from kernel to apps is in same language, (b) apps can use any code in system for their benefit, and (c) any problem anywhere can be debugged by loading up relevant source and current running state. I thought (b) was cool but (c) would be a godsend for troubleshooting. Brings new (old?) meaning to "full-stack developer." ;)
trentnelson 11y ago
> if all people know about are Unix-like systems (and the not too different Microsoft Windows) UNIX and Windows (VMS) are fundamentally different on just about every level. (Some more recent notes: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/framework-benchmarks/vtTvwpTeznI https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/framework-benchmarks...)
- DonaldFisk 11y ago
  Except presumably things like hierarchical file systems and access based around permissions, non-atomic system calls, and very similar graphical user interfaces. The differences between the other systems I mentioned (ITS, Genera, EROS) and Unix are even more striking.

nickpsecurity 11y ago

Supporting your point about Genera: http://www.symbolics-dks.com/Genera-why-1.htm http://www.symbolics-dks.com/Genera-why-1.htm Modern stuff caught up to quite a few of these. However, we still don't have a platform where (a) entire system from kernel to apps is in same language, (b) apps can use any code in system for their benefit, and (c) any problem anywhere can be debugged by loading up relevant source and current running state. I thought (b) was cool but (c) would be a godsend for troubleshooting. Brings new (old?) meaning to "full-stack developer." ;)

trentnelson 11y ago

> if all people know about are Unix-like systems (and the not too different Microsoft Windows) UNIX and Windows (VMS) are fundamentally different on just about every level. (Some more recent notes: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/framework-benchmarks/vtTvwpTeznI https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/framework-benchmarks...)

DonaldFisk 11y ago
Except presumably things like hierarchical file systems and access based around permissions, non-atomic system calls, and very similar graphical user interfaces. The differences between the other systems I mentioned (ITS, Genera, EROS) and Unix are even more striking.