Genode OS 13.02 Features Low Latency Audio, Virtualization, Protected DMA 41
On the heels of their December release, the 13.02 release of the Genode multi-server microkernel OS framework continues to deliver major new features. Under the hood, there's support for the IOMMU, bringing safe bus master DMA to userspace drivers (overcoming one of the final advantages monolithic kernels had). They've also added full virtualization support, good enough to boot Linux as an application. In the cool department, they've added a new low latency audio interface that could very well pave the way for something akin to JACK, and right now provides a lightweight way for the system to beep at you in real time . A few more libraries have been ported (libssh, curl, iconv) in preparation for a port of git to the Noux native GNU runtime. There are also a bunch of other improvements to their NOVA microkernel, support for running on the Exynos 5250 and Freescale i.MX53, a new console multiplexer, improvements to the display server, simplification of the base libraries, and more. I'll be attempting to build it and give it a spin to see how well it works in practice sometime soon.
Re:neat (Score:4, Interesting)
I think there's a lot of interest in microkernels right now in the mobile world... single chip, running something like OKL4 or Genode with GNU/Linux as a server and the radio stack as another server, completely isolated. It's easier to trust a small microkernel won't allow resources to leak between servers than it is to trust something huge like Xen.