5 ms·
Lol, in the end, Andrew S. Tanenbaum won the operating systems wars[*], since MINIX is apparently likely now the most widely used operating system in the world:
by winter_blue 6y ago
Lol, in the end, Andrew S. Tanenbaum won the operating systems wars[*], since MINIX is apparently likely now the most widely used operating system in the world: https://www.networkworld.com/article/3236064/minix-the-most-popular-os-in-the-world-thanks-to-intel.html https://www.networkworld.com/article/3236064/minix-the-most-...
Interestingly, Linux might be right behind it, at second place, dominating servers, cars, and all sorts of industrial devices.
But funnily enough in the end, when it comes to laptop and desktop computers, the Windows NT kernel, and the macOS Darwin kernel are still the reigning champions. It’s funny, because I think in the 90s, every OS designer was trying to take the place of MS-DOS/Windows/Mac. The two flamewar[*] buddies won out in the end, but likely not in the market segments they had initially expected to win.
[*] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanenbaum–Torvalds_debate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanenbaum–Torvalds_debate
- darksaints 6y agoI think L4 has it beat. One variant alone, OKL4, has shipped in billions (possibly tens of billions) of mobile devices.
- aidenn0 6y agoI would argue that L4 is closer to "unix like" as a class than it is to Minix or Linux. The L4 kernels share a common API, but not necessarily a common ABI. Of course it's complicated because L4 itself is minimalistic, and the common API means you can get a monolith with a pluggable L4 kernel so there isn't a true apples to apples comparison.
- marcodiego 6y agoLinux runs on every android, most smart tv's, servers, routers... These are way more numerous than intel systems. Tanenbaum definitely lost this one.
- ksec 6y agoThere are 3+ Billion of Android Smartphone alone, and that is excluding the Tablet, SmartTV, Server, and other gadget making the number much closer to 4 Billion. Intel's number wouldn't even be half of that.
- pjmlp 6y agoThe use of Linux kernel on Android is an implementation detail, only exposed to OEMs. Applications make use of Java and Kotlin frameworks, ISO C and C++ standard libraries and a couple of Android specific native APIs.
- someperson 6y agoThe fact that Android apps don't directly call the Linux API is not at all relevant (unless Google switch out the Linux kernel for an alternative like Fuchsia/Zircon). The discussion here is about OS market share.
- pjmlp 6y agoThat OS is Android, Linux is just a kernel. Android can be running on top of Zircon or any BSD tomorrow, besides OEMs and device rooters, no one else would notice. Doesn't matter how one tries to sell it, it isn't GNU/Linux and doesn't count as such.
- someperson 6y agoNobody's brought up GNU vs Android userspace. This entire discussion has been about the kernel market share, and Android uses the Linux kernel.
- pjmlp 6y agoIt does, and no one cares besides bragging rights from failed attempts to turn it into the "Year of Desktop Linux".
- anthk 6y agoMy phone runs Linux. My GF's phone runs Linux. My TV runs Linux, too. So does the TV box-set (cable provider), and the zipitz2 runs Linux within OpenWRT. Probably, ,my teleco's router runs Linux, too. And I say this as a desktop OpenBSD user.