11.3 resource allocation

Francois-Rene Rideau rideau@clipper
Tue, 6 Dec 94 20:11:17 MET


>> IMPORTANT: memory allocation strategy.

> Here's my model;
> 
> Our virtual machine is broken down into layers.
>
>[some predecided hierarchy for things]

Well, I admit was not clear enough.
There are 
* basic, primitive, resources, from device drivers
* (potentially recursive) resource constructors, that make resources from
 other resources: for example, we may have a packet protocol as a standard
 line multiplexer (so anyone can use any kind of raw comm. line to send
 asynchronously any kind of objects). If some user/program has got part of
 a line, he/it may want to multiplex it again, and a sub-user/program may
 multiplex it again, and again. As for memory, there is a big memory object
 in each host; it can be multiplexed by using memory allocators, and each
 memory zone can be used with a sub-allocator, etc...
* Finally, there are deconstructors/clients, that consume/use provided
 services. If normal users/clients are not given access to the primitive
 resources, they may  be unable to know if they are using the actual system,
 or a virtualized one. Clients may well be providers themselves...



So what I want to say is *NO ARBITRARY F?CKING LAYERS* in the system:
what we need is not layers, but services. You don't build a hierarchy just
for the sake of administratrivia. Your build an administration because you
need services. Let's model the possible layers according to the actual
needs measured, and not provide resources according to some administration's
capabilities. That's liberalism vs. collectivism.


> I know I've already gotten flak for the apparent complexity. But a little 
> complexity now will make the entire system simpler later.  Think 
> holistically!
Nope. I'm against any kind of religion [for the religious ones, let's fight
only about OSes on this mailing-list, please]. We should not start
*believing* something without good reasons, or we'll end in a dead-end
someday, and won't be able to understand why.
Of course, if at some moment, we have an *arbitrary* choice to make, then,
yes, we may invoke other principles than Reason.


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-- Fare -- rideau@clipper.ens.fr -- Francois-Rene Rideau -- +)ang-Vu Ban --
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