4 ms·

> where everything is a file. That didn't really age to well for Unix. I wonder if it is different for a distributed os.

• qznc 3y ago
  It feels simple and elegant at first. It is too simple though. GPUs, real time audio, Networking protocols, etc. It requires more than a simple file system API to handle those effectively.
  • jacquesm 3y ago
    I can't agree with you. I've done a lot of real time stuff and networking stuff as well as graphical user interfaces on a system that was based on the file metaphor and if anything it made things far easier. If only because you don't have to think about it, there is only the one way to do it. Similar to how HTTP is just a transport protocol, it's what you transport and how that is interpreted that matters. By restricting the number and kind of endpoints that you allow a driver or virtual device to have you ensure that all tooling is instantly composable, which is a much bigger advantage than the ones that you get from 'more effective APIs', which always turn into a giant salad of RPC. Think protocols, not functions and you're well under way to seeing why there is a lot of power to be found there that we've thrown out in the name of a couple of percent of efficiency.
  • anthk 3y ago
    plan9/9front does that just fine.