Linked by J. Scott Edwards on Fri 17th Dec 2004 18:51 UTC
Every hard-core OS aficionado has done it: Laid out a grand scheme for creating the perfect OS. Taking all the best features and attributes from the OSes we love, and making sure to assiduously avoid the pitfalls of the OSes we don't. Maybe our goals were modest, and we just wanted a slightly tweaked version of an existing OS. But sometimes we're feeling ambitious, and we have large, creative ideas for revolutionizing computing. Long-time OSNews reader and contributor J. Scott Edwards just couldn't help himself, and he has set about to not only plan, but to try to build his dream OS.
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You have some great ideas.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), most of what you mentioned has been thought about and implemented in full. Check out the Eros project for most of what you want. KeyKOS was the precursor to Eros and also has many of the ideas (since ~1982).
It features:
- a single unified namespace for objects (instead of one for the in-memory system, and a file heirarchy for the in-disk system.)
- passive and continuous checkpointing so that you can pull the plug, and 30 seconds later you are where you were at (exactly)
- security between objects (which are technically called capabilities)
- etc...
It does not have a relational model built on it, but I would imagine you could do that. I doubt it has a competitive GUI, but its point is research, not widespread adoption.
Anyway, I would give you a link, but you can google as well as I.
Give it an honest read (especially the SOSP paper), and you will see the similarities. Hope that helps.