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> Is there something fundamentally bad that Linux does that requires a new OS to fix? If no one ever builds anything new, nothing new will ever be built. Ther

by noch 4y ago

> Is there something fundamentally bad that Linux does that requires a new OS to fix? If no one ever builds anything new, nothing new will ever be built. There's an implicit assumption in your question that Linux has solved all problems or is even fit for its current uses and all future use cases. (A similar sentiment is voiced in other discussions e.g. about programming languages, frameworks, editors, etc) Related: "The Thirty Million Lines [of Code] Problem" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZRE7HIO3vk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZRE7HIO3vk

ShredKazoo 4y ago
Good discussion from the other month, on how Unix hegemony has caused stagnation in OS research: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33740235 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33740235 I watched a bunch of lecture videos on operating systems a few months ago: https://www.youtube.com/@johnkubiatowicz3737/videos https://www.youtube.com/@johnkubiatowicz3737/videos It didn't seem like they are fundamentally that complex. I'm pretty sure CMU has a class where undergrads are required to write their own operating system within a single semester. My vague impression is that Linux has become bloated since the project's scope is so large -- Linux is used to address every possible use case. That's naturally going to lead to a ton of complexity and bugs. I'm really excited by the idea of people creating new OSes that explore alternative paradigms and try to beat Linux for specific use-cases. Writing a replacement for Android in Rust would be interesting, for example. I don't think you would need to create a full Linux compatibility layer -- you could create just enough compatibility for the Android APIs to still work. Then you could add anti-distraction features at the OS level -- e.g. make it so if someone has deliberately uninstalled an app in the past, they have to solve a bunch of captchas if they want to install it a second time. Tons of everyday people struggle with addiction to apps like Instagram, where they uninstall the app to try & waste less time, then give in and reinstall it, over and over again. I think solid, creative app blocking features (e.g. user selects how much effort is required to disable their own self-restriction when they set it up) could be an attractive selling point for many users. There is the potential to make millions or even billions of dollars by changing the relationship that people have with their devices.

by noch 4y ago

ShredKazoo 4y ago

Good discussion from the other month, on how Unix hegemony has caused stagnation in OS research: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33740235 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33740235 I watched a bunch of lecture videos on operating systems a few months ago: https://www.youtube.com/@johnkubiatowicz3737/videos https://www.youtube.com/@johnkubiatowicz3737/videos It didn't seem like they are fundamentally that complex. I'm pretty sure CMU has a class where undergrads are required to write their own operating system within a single semester. My vague impression is that Linux has become bloated since the project's scope is so large -- Linux is used to address every possible use case. That's naturally going to lead to a ton of complexity and bugs. I'm really excited by the idea of people creating new OSes that explore alternative paradigms and try to beat Linux for specific use-cases. Writing a replacement for Android in Rust would be interesting, for example. I don't think you would need to create a full Linux compatibility layer -- you could create just enough compatibility for the Android APIs to still work. Then you could add anti-distraction features at the OS level -- e.g. make it so if someone has deliberately uninstalled an app in the past, they have to solve a bunch of captchas if they want to install it a second time. Tons of everyday people struggle with addiction to apps like Instagram, where they uninstall the app to try & waste less time, then give in and reinstall it, over and over again. I think solid, creative app blocking features (e.g. user selects how much effort is required to disable their own self-restriction when they set it up) could be an attractive selling point for many users. There is the potential to make millions or even billions of dollars by changing the relationship that people have with their devices.