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I think the discussion cannot be really detached, since Google has strong ambitions that will undeniably influence features and capabilities of their OS. But a

I think the discussion cannot be really detached, since Google has strong ambitions that will undeniably influence features and capabilities of their OS. But as for the microkernel approach, I think the advantages are on the table, but they are theoretical. Until now, no OS with a micro architecture was successful at getting significant market share. What would your requirements at an OS like this be? For me, it would be extensibility and the minimalist approach. Don't know the implementation details, but it sounds a lot like a time when people loved OOP too much, or later disliked it just as much.

pjmlp 5y ago
Look outside of the desktop into embedded platforms. QNX, Switch OS, INTEGRITY OS, L4. To a certain extent, all Android OS services after Project Treble.
- raxxorrax 5y ago
  I work in the embedded area and it is true that these approaches are more successful here. But I think that is due to real pressure for memomy and speed or real time applications. That isn't really the case for general purpose devices like PCs. Those have an unlimited amount of memory and CPU power. I might try it for embedded devices some day.
  - pjmlp 5y ago
    The irony is that hypervisors and containers have basically taken away whatever benefits monolithic kernels might have. OS X and Windows are much better in this regard than GNU/Linux/BSDs with their ongoing efforts to move all drivers to userspace, even though they will never be fully pure microkernels when done with it.
    - raxxorrax 5y ago
      He, true. Although I wonder if microkernels tend to expose more lower level function in user mode that could be relevant to overall system security. The big problem is probably memory access, which would be prohibited in user mode, but maybe there are other security implications (I couldn't answer that question). Other than improved security that may also be protected by a hypervisor, you might still gain more stability when pushing drivers to user mode. Or your hypervisor has a bug and allows a guest to gain privileged kernel access. Not a security expert, so this is mainly guess work.
SixDouble5321 5y ago
>Until now, no OS with a micro architecture was successful at getting significant market share. Not sure in what sense you mean this. Minix may be the most common OS on the planet. Intel embedded it in an quite a number of its products.
- ladyanita22 5y ago
  You're for sure not using Minix consciously

pjmlp 5y ago

Look outside of the desktop into embedded platforms. QNX, Switch OS, INTEGRITY OS, L4. To a certain extent, all Android OS services after Project Treble.

raxxorrax 5y ago
I work in the embedded area and it is true that these approaches are more successful here. But I think that is due to real pressure for memomy and speed or real time applications. That isn't really the case for general purpose devices like PCs. Those have an unlimited amount of memory and CPU power. I might try it for embedded devices some day.
- pjmlp 5y ago
  The irony is that hypervisors and containers have basically taken away whatever benefits monolithic kernels might have. OS X and Windows are much better in this regard than GNU/Linux/BSDs with their ongoing efforts to move all drivers to userspace, even though they will never be fully pure microkernels when done with it.
  - raxxorrax 5y ago
    He, true. Although I wonder if microkernels tend to expose more lower level function in user mode that could be relevant to overall system security. The big problem is probably memory access, which would be prohibited in user mode, but maybe there are other security implications (I couldn't answer that question). Other than improved security that may also be protected by a hypervisor, you might still gain more stability when pushing drivers to user mode. Or your hypervisor has a bug and allows a guest to gain privileged kernel access. Not a security expert, so this is mainly guess work.

SixDouble5321 5y ago

>Until now, no OS with a micro architecture was successful at getting significant market share. Not sure in what sense you mean this. Minix may be the most common OS on the planet. Intel embedded it in an quite a number of its products.

ladyanita22 5y ago
You're for sure not using Minix consciously