================================================ Genode Labs Newsletter - October / November 2014 ================================================ Content 1. Genode OS Framework 14.11 released 2. Exploration of the seL4 microkernel 3. Meet us at FOSDEM 2015 1. Genode OS Framework 14.11 released ------------------------------------- We are happy to announce the release of Genode 14.11 that comes with a much anticipated feature: wireless networking on modern laptops. With more than 215,000 lines of code, the Intel wireless stack of Linux kernel represents the most sophisticated driver subsystem ever ported to Genode. When integrated within a Genode system, however, this complexity to contained in a single and easy-to-use component. As the second major improvement, the new version introduces a concept of trading CPU resources between components running on our custom base-hw kernel. Thereby, we apply our time-tested memory- management approach to the management of CPU time throughout the system. Functionality-wise, Genode 14.11 comes with VirtualBox 4.3.16 that runs directly on the NOVA microhypervisor. This upgrade comes with the ability to use regular vbox configurations on Genode and thereby provide good interoperability between the traditional host platforms of VirtualBox and Genode. Further improvements are a completely new dynamic linker with a code complexity of less than 20% of the old one, new GUI components, and improved device-driver support for the Raspberry Pi. These and many more topics are covered in the detailed release documentation: http://genode.org/documentation/release-notes/14.11 2. Exploration of the seL4 microkernel -------------------------------------- The seL4 kernel is widely regarded as a break-through in operating systems. It is the first OS kernel that is formally proven to be free of bugs. At the same time, it is powerful enough to enable dynamic general-purpose workloads on top. After many years being developed as proprietary technology by NICTA, seL4 was finally published under an open-source license last summer. The liberation of seL4 prompted us to investigate this kernel as a potential base platform for Genode. In addition to the confidence in the maturity of the kernel stemming from its formal verification, its feature set looks like a perfect fit for Genode. It supports both IA32 and ARM, is based on a capability-based security model, and has a reportedly good performance. In November, we started to have a closer look and summarized our experience in the following article: http://genode.org/documentation/articles/sel4_part_1 For those among you who are interested in tracking the progress of this line of work, the following topic branch documents our steps: https://github.com/nfeske/genode/commits/sel4 3. Meet us at FOSDEM 2015 ------------------------- The date for next year's FOSDEM is set and we are happy that the microkernel developer room will be part of it again. FOSDEM is the world's largest event of the Free-Software and Open-Source community. It hosts literally hundreds of lectures and talks, covering all facets of the open-source universe: FOSDEM 2015 in Brussels January 31 and February 1 https://fosdem.org/2015 It goes without saying that Genode Labs will be present and actively participate. Whether you are generally interested in Open-Source and Free-Software projects, like to catch up with us Genode developers, or meet like-minded people, we warmly recommend you to join FOSDEM! About the newsletter -------------------- If you have friends or colleagues who might be interested in our projects, we would appreciate you to forward this email. If you received this newsletter as a forwarded email, you may subscribe to the newsletter here: http://genode-labs.com/newsletter In the case of receiving this newsletter unintended, you can cancel your subscription at any time by replying to this email with the subject set to "unsubscribe". Best regards -- Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske Genode Labs http://www.genode-labs.com · http://genode.org Genode Labs GmbH · Amtsgericht Dresden · HRB 28424 · Sitz Dresden Geschäftsführer: Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske, Christian Helmuth
