this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2024
286 points (97.7% liked)

Linux

48182 readers
1960 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Linus Torvalds Speaks on the the divide between Rust and C Linux developers an the future Linux. Will things like fragmentation among the open source community hurt the Linux Kernel? We'll listen to the Creator of Linux.

For the full key note, checkout: Keynote: Linus Torvalds in Conversation with Dirk Hohndel

The Register's summary: Torvalds weighs in on 'nasty' Rust vs C for Linux debate

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] solrize@lemmy.world 45 points 1 month ago (5 children)

C, C-like, or Rust

As always, Ada gets no respect.

[–] gerdesj@lemmy.ml 21 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Start the linuxa or alinux project and off you trot. Find a better name than I did here and you'll be fine.

[–] Tlaloc_Temporal@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Ladux? Linda? +Linux, pronounced "Add a Linux" -> Ada Linux? LinLace?

[–] Archer@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago (2 children)
[–] nilloc@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Images of smoking Eastern European jalopy intensifies.

[–] bluewing@lemm.ee 1 points 1 month ago

I prefer Trabant.

[–] Threeme2189@lemm.ee 4 points 1 month ago

Anixa for the win

[–] nyan@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Nor does Forth (which used to be a common choice for "first thing to bootstrap on this new chip architecture we have no real OS for yet"). Alas, they're just not popular languages these days.

[–] solrize@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Forth is fun but not really suitable for large, long-lasting projects with huge developer communities. Linux isn't being bootstrapped, it's already here and has been around for decades and it's huge. And, I think bootstrapping-by-poking-around on a new architecture has stopped being important. Today, you have compiler and OS's targeted to the new architecture under simulation long before there is any hardware, with excellent debugging tools available in the simulator.

[–] I_Miss_Daniel@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)
[–] Brosplosion@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Have you actually ever used Ada? It's like programming with handcuffs on.

[–] solrize@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I have played with Ada but not done anything "real" with it. I think I'd be ok with using it. It seems better than C in most regards. I haven't really looked into Rust but from what I can gather, its main innovation is the borrow checker, and Ada might get something like that too (influenced by Rust).

I don't understand why Linux is so huge and complicaed anyway. At least on servers, most Linux kernels are running under hypervisors that abstract away the hardware. So what else is going on in there? Linux is at least 10x as much code as BSD kernels from back in the day (idk about now). It might be feasible to write a usable Posix kernel as a hypervisor guest in a garbage collected language. But, I haven't looked into this very much.

Here's an ok overview of Ada: http://cowlark.com/2014-04-27-ada/index.html

[–] toastal@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is how they want to frame it. C has footguns, therefore use Rust—instead of Rust is one of the options you could use.

[–] solrize@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I don't think Ada in the kernel would get any cultural acceptance. Rust has been hard enough. C++ was vehemently rejected decades ago though the reasons made some sense at the time. Adopting C++ today would be pretty crazy. I don't see much alternative to Rust (or in a different world, Ada) in the monolithic kernel. But Rust seems like it's still in beta test, and the kernel architecture itself seems like a legacy beast. Do you know of anything else? I can't take D or Eiffel or anything like that seriously. And part of it is the crappiness of the hardware companies. Maybe it will have to be left to future generations.