

Introduction to Hurd translators - vezzy-fnord
https://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/hurd-doc-translator

======
wazari972
This concept of translators looks very similar to FUSE (Filesystem in
Userspace) in Linux, I wonder how it differs, is it easier to write?

And how about the context switch cost? being used to Linux, I'd think that the
execution flow has to jump back and forth between kernel and user space to
call the translators, and again and again if you chain them?

~~~
Xophmeister
FUSE is more general, I think, insofar as it provides a filesystem abstraction
for anything you like. Whereas this looks more like a layer that sits above an
existing filesystem (like a FUSE overlay).

(Edit: Emphasis on the "I think"!)

~~~
dvdkhlng
FUSE is _less_ general, as it only allows implementation of filesystem
drivers. HURD translators should allow implementation of almost arbitrary
drivers in userspace (such as device drivers or network stacks).

HURD is a micro-kernel so almost everything that traditionally lives in the
kernel on Linux systems would be implemented as a translator in a HURD system
(apart from very low-level virtual memory and CPU management).

~~~
Xophmeister
Neat :) Thanks for the correction

