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Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

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21–30 of 126 posts

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#21

What is this supposed to become, exactly? Google hasn't said much about it and speculators are making big claims like how this will replace ChromeOS and Android. I don't see that happening any time soon considering how deeply entrenched both OSes are, but Google's dedication mixed with the lack of comments makes me think again.

Probably something more architecturally sound for future platforms in augmented and virtual reality among other things. One of the biggest issues with Android is managing permissions for apps to system resources. Proper sandboxing of 3rd party code is a big deal, especially if the next generation experiences are so much more immersive.

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#24

There's no point to these early Fuschia review attempts. I don't see how it demonstrates anything. It's like looking at the famous first email from Linus Torvald and figuring out what the os would be in the end. So it boots, it has windows, but not apps, and prints some things to the screen. It tells us nothing about real intentions, future capabilities, etc.

As somebody who read that famous first email and shared it around her lab: We were all tremendously excited, and spent days discussing it.

This is the same thing - it's exciting. It's trying to do things many of us have thought of, but never worked on. It's new technology. It's something that, in our hearts, we want to succeed just because the alternatives are all grungy and dusty and carry the compatibility fixes of generations.

Of course, if you don't really care about OS technology, or look at it from a consumer perspective, yeah, it's not giving you anything.

But for engineers who care about OSs? This is amazing and invigorating.

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#25
post #19
post #14

Short review: Another OS written in C/C++ that will have a million and one bugs over the next 3 decades.

As someone who has dabbled in OS development over the years, you'd be a fool to use anything other than C (I suppose you could use a restricted subset of C++ if you really don't want to write anything but a toy OS) or assembly if you have something to prove.

What about Rust disqualifies it? Let's say besides ecosystem immaturity (lack of libraries). As a non-systems programmer, I'm curious.

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#27
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who has dabbled in OS development over the years, you'd be a fool to use anything other than C (I suppose you could use a restricted subset of C++ if you really don't want to write anything but a toy OS) or assembly if you have something to prove.

What about Rust disqualifies it? Let's say besides ecosystem immaturity (lack of libraries). As a non-systems programmer, I'm curious.

You just provided at least two good reasons. Add the ABI instability as a third and rust has struck out.

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#28
post #14

Short review: Another OS written in C/C++ that will have a million and one bugs over the next 3 decades.

you're right. it should be written in typescript. or maybe the java prerelease from 1995.

Get with the times. Clearly Rust is the answer!

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#29
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who has dabbled in OS development over the years, you'd be a fool to use anything other than C (I suppose you could use a restricted subset of C++ if you really don't want to write anything but a toy OS) or assembly if you have something to prove.

What about Rust disqualifies it? Let's say besides ecosystem immaturity (lack of libraries). As a non-systems programmer, I'm curious.

One drawback about Rust OSes right now is that they must use nightly Rust, and therefore, don't gain our stability guarantees. This is another form of immaturity.

I still wish they would have done it anyway, but oh well :)

On a technical level, there's nothing stopping you: we already have one serious project (Redox) and many, many hobby projects that exist.

Re: Google’s Fuchsia OS on the Pixelbook

#30
post #22
post #14

Short review: Another OS written in C/C++ that will have a million and one bugs over the next 3 decades.

I believe the kernel is based on L4, which has at least one bug-free implementation[1]. 1: http://sel4.systems/

The Ziron microkernel is based on Little Kernel[1]. One of the main authors of Fuchsia was the developer of LK.

[1]https://github.com/littlekernel/lk/wiki/Introduction

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