Re: [BLACKBOX] Ofront released as open source under a FreeBSD-style license

From: [at]} <Wojtek>
Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:21:16 -0400

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Oleg:

  I sent you the PDF. I am wondering whether ofront could be used to add
modular structure to embedded programming under uClinux. FYI, Linux has
something named "kernel modules" that look like they have been inspired
by Modula/Oberon, but the machanics of creating these is ugly. There is
no type safety, just a bunch of #defines and other such usual kind of
ugliness. I am wondering whether ofront could be used to add modules to
Linux kernel programming, but in a rigorous way.

I stress "kernel" rather than user space. Under the hood Linux kernel is
similar to Oberon System. That is, Linux kernel is a cooperative
environment without memory protection (for those who did not know). Not
just uClinux, where you could perhaps expect lack of memory protection. In
general, Linux kernel is not protected inside. So it is just like Oberon
System, but all written in the unsafe language.

I am wondering whether ofront could be used to remedy the unsafe Linux
kernel programming.

Perhaps it is a topic for a doctoral dissertation. It is a large topic, I
think. In principle the payoff could be substantial because unsafe
programming is probably one of the reasons enabling internet attacks. I do
not know, but I suppose it may be so. Making Linux a bit safer could
perhaps be important.

Wojtek

> Dear Wojtek,
>
> Of course, I'm interested to see the manual.
> Have you confirm that usual desktop computer (or laptop) of Intel 386
> architecture (or any useful free emulator under it) with runned uClinux
> is enough for running the examples? I've not any microcontroller for it.
> :)
>
> By the way, mr. Josef Templ has already designed Ofront for Linux
> console. I think, it's not hard to modify this Ofront for uClinux.
>
> --
> Oleg N. Cher
> http://zx.oberon2.ru/

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Received on Tue Apr 24 2012 - 18:21:16 UTC