Linux is now doing what SPIN did 25 years ago, and the creators of SPIN called in an "extensible microkernel" [1]. Although i think the SPIN base system was a

Linux is now doing what SPIN did 25 years ago, and the creators of SPIN called in an "extensible microkernel" [1]. Although i think the SPIN base system was a lot smaller than the Linux kernel - for example [2]: > The Web server application, as well as the file system interface, entire network protocol stack, and device infrastructure are all linked into the system after it boots. [1] http://www.cs.cornell.edu/people/egs/papers/spin-tr94-03-03.pdf http://www.cs.cornell.edu/people/egs/papers/spin-tr94-03-03.... [2] http://www-spin.cs.washington.edu/ http://www-spin.cs.washington.edu/