Minix 3 released

Minix, invented by Andy Tanenbaum, is a Unix-based OS and was the inspiration behind Linux. However it has some interesting features that penguin based systems don't.

Specifically, it is extremely small with the parts that run in user mode divided into small modules, which is supposed to make life more secure. Each device driver runs as a separate user-mode process so a bug in a driver cannot bring down the entire OS.

Minix 3 has only 4000 lines of executable code, however unlike its earlier versions it is designed to be used as a serious system rather than something educational. It is particularly designed to be used on resource-limited and embedded computers and for applications requiring high reliability.

Minix could have been a contender but it was largely downplayed by its inventor and left to rot as an educational tool.

The new Minix is POSIX compliant. It can network with TCP/IP, support memory up to 4 GB and run on 386, 486, Pentium.

Tanenbaum admits that the OS is still a work in progress and nowhere near as mature as FreeBSD or Linux right now. More here. µ