Comments on: The Truth About OS X’s Kernel: It’s Not Unix

By: Brandon Paddock

Brandon Paddock — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 06:23:32 +0000

cji – it’s a “hybrid” because it’s actually, well, two kernels. At least from what I remember when I last looked at the OS X architecture. As I recall, it’s the Mach microkernel (which actually shares a lot of history / influence with the Windows NT microkernel that powers modern Windows OSes) with a FreeBSD kernel running on top of it in some Frankensteining arrangement. As I understand it, the convoluted threading model that arises from this design is one of the more annoying things about programming on OS X.

By: Daniel Miessler

Daniel Miessler — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 21:16:19 +0000

Lay off the sauce during business hours! ;-)

Indeed. Score one for Rick. :)

By: cji

cji — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 20:09:43 +0000

This is a hybrid. This is a cross, ah, of Blue Mach, Kentucky BSD, I/O Kit , and Reality Distorting Sensemilia. The amazing stuff about this is, that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff. -- Carl Spackler (sort of)

I swear every time I hear "hybrid" I'm reminded of Caddyshack...

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:46:27 +0000

Lay off the sauce during business hours! ;-)

By: frijole

frijole — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:19:26 +0000

yup. solid reporting there chap. just like GNU's Not Unix too.

And Apple's already announced that Leopard is UNIX compliant and will no longer be "UNIX-based" (as the advertising to date has always been) and will be "a UNIX variant" certified by The Open Group.