MINIX 3: a Modular, Self-Healing POSIX-compatible Operating System
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN points to it as an accessible explanation of microkernel isolation and fault-tolerant design, and as Tanenbaum's answer to performance objections.
What it is
Andrew Tanenbaum's FOSDEM 2010 talk on MINIX 3, a microkernel OS built for high reliability and security. It shows how the system detects and recovers from device driver crashes, and addresses microkernel performance concerns.
Recommended by 4 HN commenters across 4 different months, 2013 to 2023.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec TallGuyShort · 2013-04 · on “Ask HN: What's the best technical talk you've heard?”
Andrew Tanenbaum presenting on Minix 3's architecture: [this video] . Regardless of one's opinions on microkernels vs. monolithic kernels, it's a very interesting but accessible talk for those interested in lower-level systems and fault-tolerant architectures.
Recommends thirsteh · 2013-02 · on “Minix 3.2.1 Released”
It's also for security. If you find a security vulnerability in e.g. the sound driver, you're not going to get root access. Andrew Tanenbaum explains it well: [this video]
Recommends noblethrasher · 2014-06 · on “What are the advantages of the Hurd over Linux/BSD? (2013)”
Here's Andy Tannenbaum's response to the performance issues of microkernels: [this video] (should start at about 47:15)
Recommends shangxiao · 2014-11 · on “Hobby kernel and userspace, built mostly from scratch”
Writing OS's is hard and there are no shortcuts. You should take a look at microkernels and the work Andrew Tanenbaum did with Minix 3 [1] and his modular design as this is the sort of direction you're probably looking for with customisable OS's. [1] [this video]
Cites carussell · 2017-09 · on “A reimplementation of NetBSD using a MicroKernel (2015)”
(2015) Previously: [LINK] And see [1], my note about this talk being more or less the same as the 2010 Minix talk at FOSDEM[2]. If you saw that one, or any other talk by Tanenbaum of that period, I'll spoil it for you: there's nothing substantially different in this talk. 1. [LINK] 2. [this video]
Cites nickpsecurity · 2023-02 · on “Ask HN: Best practices for self-healing apps?”
Here's you some examples to learn from. Most are old enough that patents have expired: Why Do Computers Stop and What Can Be Done About It? (1985) [LINK] Their NonStop Architecture [LINK] QNX's systems are ultra-reliable, too [LINK] OpenVMS clusters' uptime was years to decades & mixed CPU ISA's [LINK] Systems that run forever and self-heal (Armstrong) [LINK] Microreboots [LINK] Minix 3: Microkernel-based, self-healing, POSIX OS [this video]