Web site: lsub.org/nix/
Origin: Spain
Category: Desktop
Desktop environment: CLI
Architecture: x86, x86_64
Based on: 9atom
Wikipedia:
Media: Install
The last version | Released: MarkIV | 2020
Nix – an operating system designed for current manycore machines, which includes mechanism to assign different roles to cores. NIX includes a NUMA aware memory allocator suited for new 64-bit x86 processors. Nix is able to lend cores to applications with no OS interference (not even clock interrupts), but still provides all functionality of a conventional operating system.
In particular, for applications, Nix is not different from a Plan 9 from Bell Labs kernel.
Nix can partition cores into:
– TCs: Time-sharing cores. Similar to cores as handled by SMP systems.
– ACs: Application cores. User code runs undisturbed on them.
– KCs: Kernel cores. They take system load like system calls and interrupt handling.
Nix mark I was joint work of Laboratorio de Sistemas with Bell Laboratories, Sandia National Labs, and Vitanuova.
Mark II incorporated an open development model, and found its way into 9atom and the kernel can be found along with other kernels in the distribution. Thanks to Erik Quanstrom for maintaining the distribution and adopting the system. This version is still evolving there.
Nix mark IV is a new research prototype for the system. It is joint work of Lsub with with Bell Laboratories and Vitanuova.
