linux-kernel - Re: Can we move device drivers into user-space?

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Message-ID: <1330341472.17330.19.camel@thorin>
Date:	Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:17:50 +0100
From:	Bernd Petrovitsch <bernd@...rovitsch.priv.at>
To:	Richard Yao <ryao@...stonybrook.edu>
Cc:	Theodore Tso <tytso@....edu>, Henrik Rydberg <rydberg@...omail.se>,
	Bobby Powers <bobbypowers@...il.com>,
	Greg KH <gregkh@...uxfoundation.org>,
	Guenter Roeck <guenter.roeck@...csson.com>,
	Jidong Xiao <jidong.xiao@...il.com>,
	Kernel development list <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Can we move device drivers into user-space?

On Son, 2012-02-26 at 17:03 -0500, Richard Yao wrote:
[...]
> I think it is nice for people to be interested in kernel design and
> even if they have bad ideas, letting them discuss their ideas
> generally gives them the opportunity to learn why they are bad, which
> could generate good ideas in the process.

Part of the learning experience is (or should be IMHO) to - at least -
try it out in someway at some point and not only "discuss" it or throw
ideas around.
And that is: look for one target like a char driver or a filesystem or
what ever one likes or seems fit and try to produce a somewhat working
prototype.
The performance point is probably valid but not every driver is a high
performance issue.
As for "filesystems", there is already FUSE around BTW. And IIRC there
were similar efforts for block and/or char drivers.

And of course, the "try it out" means primarily the OP - see the other
mail.

>                                           microkernel designs are
> nice, but Linux is not the right basis for one.

Yes, that's the reason that everyone uses a microkernel today. SCNR ....
And Mach got at times so fat so that people considered something else. 

	Bernd
-- 
Bernd Petrovitsch                  Email : bernd@...rovitsch.priv.at
                     LUGA : http://www.luga.at

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