[wplug] kernels

[Bill Moran]

Chris Romano <romano.chris at gmail.com> wrote:

> Because the list is so quiet today, I will throw this out to everyone
> to see what they think.  I have been thinking about this lately.
> 
> Will kernels become interchangable?  The next version of Novell's
> server OS will include the netware kernel and the linux kernel.  With
> the BSDs working on running Linux apps, and the possibility of Sun
> opening up Solaris, that list could grow.  Will you be able to
> download the Distro of choice and pick the kernel that you want?  So
> all the apps stay the same but just different kernels?

This would be a logical next step, and A Good Thing(tm) in my
opinion.

Since one of the primary goals of a kernel is to abstract the userland
software from the hardware, it would make sense that each hardware
manufacturer could generate their own kernel.  Then you could install
whatever userland you preferred on top of that, and be happy.

Obviously, the world isn't that ideal.  The BSD kernels don't even
do syscalls quite the same way the Linux kernels do, and there are
certain features that the BSDs have that Linux doesn't (kqueues,
for example) and I'm sure there are features that that each different
kernel has that not all others have.

So, I don't think it will ever get to the point of kernels being
completely interchangable.  I do think that we already have an
excellent amount portability.  Look at how many programs were
designed for Linux that complile and run just fine on FreeBSD!
Look at how much OSS stuff builds and runs without problems on
Solaris.

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technologies
http://www.potentialtech.com