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mach


From: Allan Adler
Subject: mach
Date: 15 Sep 2005 08:58:39 -0400

I've been reading a couple of books on Linux internals, specifically
Linux Device Drivers and Linux Kernel Development. I also have some
old books on operating system that I'm planning to read. I'm enjoying
the illusion of understanding some of what I'm reading, but haven't really
tested it by reading kernel source or driver source. However, I decided
this would be a good time to start looking into Hurd, even though I don't
have a machine to install it on at the moment. I downloaded the mach and
hurd documentation and found the description of mach very interesting.
So, I'm thinking I would like to start studying the mach source code,
even though I'm not very well prepared to do so.

One thing I've found in reading  about Linux is how important it is to
understand the declarations in the kernel header files. So, not having
any better idea how to proceed, I'm starting to read the header files
in include/mach.

It really is not possible for me to install Mach or Hurd at this time.
I'm not prepared to spend what it costs to purchase the debian-hurd disks
and I'm not sure whether my hardware is adequate. Furthermore, once I install
it, I will be very distracted by the need to actually use it and I think that
there my education in the actual workings of mach and hurd will end. I think
I'm better off just studying the source code at this point. I did try to
run configure on the mach code, but it really can't be done since I'm
presently using RedHat 7.1 and configure won't deal with it.

Moreover, at this point, I'm really more interested in mach than in hurd.
Maybe it is useless without Hurd, but I just have the impression that this
is a good time to learn its basic concepts, before it gets so sophisticated
and developed that I don't stand a chance.

One thing that would be nice would be if I can figure out how to take certain
of the basic data structures out of their mach or hurd context and just
experiment with them on my own in my RH7 home directories.
-- 
Ignorantly,
Allan Adler <ara@zurich.csail.mit.edu>
* Disclaimer: I am a guest and *not* a member of the MIT CSAIL. My actions and
* comments do not reflect in any way on MIT. Also, I am nowhere near Boston.

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