Linux is obsolete – A debate between Andrew S. Tanenbaum and Linus Torvalds

https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/community/blogs/6e6f6d1b-95c3-46df-8a26-b7efd8ee4b57/entry/linux_is_obsolete_a_must_read_debate_between_andrew_s_tanenbaum_and_linus_torvalds34?lang=en

by seliopou • 11 years ago

2 5 11 years ago

ibm.com

facorreia• 11 years ago

[2012]

marvel_boy• 11 years ago

Yeah, should not [2012] be in the title?

SixSigma2• 11 years ago

How the Plan9 team saw it

Subject: Andy Tanenbaum hasn’t learned anything

From: <Rob Pike> rob@alice.att.com (research!rob)

Date: 6 Apr 92 20:06:28 GMT

<snip>

- Microkernels are the way to go

False unless your only goal is to get papers published. Plan 9's kernel is a fraction of the size of any microkernel we know and offers more functionality and comparable or often better performance.

<snip>

to see the other points :

http://harmful.cat-v.org/software/andy_tanenbaum

digi_owl• 11 years ago

    - Atomic group communication (broadcast) is highly useful
          Perhaps.  We've never used it or felt the need for it.

Interesting given that broadcast seems to be one reason for the kdbus push.

    - File server replication is an idea whose time has come
          Perhaps.  Simple hardware solutions like disk mirroring solve a
          lot of the reliability problems much more easily.  Also, at least
          in a stable world, keeping your file server up is a better way to
          solve the problem.

    - Distributed shared memory in one form or another is a convenient model
          Convenient for whom?  This one baffles us: distributed shared memory
          is a lousy model for building systems, yet everyone seems to be
          doing it.  (Try to find a PhD this year on a different topic.)

Seems like rebuttals of containerization.

    - Threads should be managed by the kernel, not in user space
          Better: have a decent process model and avoid this process/thread
          dichotomy.

And iirc, that is what Linux ended up doing.

SixSigma2• 11 years ago

They also considered Linux : "By Amateurs, For Amateurs".

The signees all work at Google now, armed with Macbooks.

Linux is obsolete – A debate between Andrew S. Tanenbaum and Linus Torvalds

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