Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mailrus!ames!haven!adm!xadmx!PSPINLER%MKVAX1%MSUS1.BITNET@vm1.nodak.edu
From: nodak.edu>@adm.BRL.MIL
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: What kind of things would you wnat in the GNU OS
Message-ID: <19793@adm.BRL.MIL>
Date: 29 May 89 19:27:37 GMT
Sender: news@adm.BRL.MIL
Lines: 41


I can't really claim the know-how to back my opinions up, but there they are
  anyway :

Concepts:
  Message passing kernal, virtual memory, threads

Kernal Contains:
  Message Handler
  Scheduler
  Swapper

FileSystem and device/network drivers are user mode processes locked into
real memory to prevent swapping.  This way you need only 1 filesystem on
a network (the server) while network workstations need only a network driver &
small kernal loaded.

The filesystem could be bypassed, and the device drivers accessed directly,
but it provides a nice, clean, virtual interface.  Enforce device access
through this interface, and you have a high level of security for a slight
penalty in network activity (ex. a consol message to a workstation would go
to server and back to workstation).

More filesystem ideas:

  Add another permission 'l' - link permission: permision to add or
  delete a hard link to the file.  Ie, you'd need link permission to
  delete a file or move it across directories.

  Extend symbolic links to be able to include more than one 'real' file.
  This would add all the functionality of VMS logicals to sym links.

Things would obviously have to be fleshed out a lot more than this, but it's
a good start.  Furthermore, SVID and/or Berkley compatability could be provided
by special device drivers that would trap system calls.


  Patrick Spinler                       BITNET:     pspinler%mkvax1@msus1
  115 Parkway Apt 102                               Mankato State University
  Mankato, Mn 56001
  388-3085