While GNU Hurd predates the Linux kernel, its hardware support has been woefully behind with very limited and dated hardware support compared to modern PC/server hardware. Not only that, its been largely x86 limited but during Q4’2023 the developers involved have made progress on x86_64 support and begun tackling AArch64 porting.
Developer Samuel Thibault shared that the GNU Hurd 64-bit port now has enough packages in the debian-ports archive to be able to bootstrap a chroot. A 64-bit Debian + GNU Hurd build daemon is getting setup and the other infrastructure work is coming along.
↫ Michael Larabel
In addition, work has started to port Hurd to POWER9, and someone is working on bringing the Ladybird web browser to Hurd, for a more modern browsing experience, among many other points of progress.
Hurd is the one operating system that I have wanted to see working for the longest. I’m amazed and thrilled that people are still working on it, when its seemed dead many times. Its extremely complex. Its a stimulating intellectual pursuit, if nothing else. I can appreciate it from a pure technical aspect.
Wow, maybe in 100 years 64bit support will be finally done. Of course we will be on 128 bit CPUs or Quantum computers by then, but they will finally finish the 64bit port by then.
Yeah, I mean they’ll also try to switch to another kernel a few times along the way before deciding to stick with Mach.
The last time I looked at it which admitedly was long ago.. they were trapped on an old license and the FSF didn’t own enough of the system to move it to GPLv3, which is pathetic for a GNU Project. And of course, one thing they will never have is ZFS.
So such a long time in development and yet they don’t have a decent filesystem, and any attempts to try to look like there is some effort going on doesnt hide the fact that it’s just dead.
pfgbsd,
Interesting point. But linux is technically in the same boat. It hasn’t stopped some linux distros from distributing ZFS modules. Not sure what everyone’s stance is on the legal nuances, but it’s worth that pointing out.
Yea, I have to confess that for me the success of these marginalized platforms doesn’t depend so much on merit, but support. A platform, even if it’s better, can’t gain much traction without hardware and software support.
They should drop Mach and port it to seL4. Then they could take advantage of its ecosystem instead of using something nobody uses.