Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> Why can't distros be a package of microkernel + drivers?

Performance. Basically, the required amount of context switches (since all drivers run in user mode) impacts performance and cache use in a negative way compared to monolithic kernels. Whether this is still a significant issue with modern designs, I don't know, but that was the argument back in day (i.e. the early 90s when Linux came about).



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: