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Transitioned from Windows to Linux kernel.

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  • E Offline
    E Offline
    Erudite_Eric
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

    M R L G A 6 Replies Last reply
    0
    • E Erudite_Eric

      After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

      M Offline
      M Offline
      Mark_Wallace
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      I have no idea about most of what you're talking about, but it's compelling reading.

      I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

      E 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • E Erudite_Eric

        After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

        R Offline
        R Offline
        Rajesh R Subramanian
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        I can ignore every other typo, but please spell WinDbg correctly. :)

        "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

        E 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • E Erudite_Eric

          After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

          L Offline
          L Offline
          Lost User
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          I did some work on AIX drivers some years back, starting from scratch, and that had really good kernel tracing in it. My only problem was the lack of formal training so I was learning and writing at the same time.

          Use the best guess

          R 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • L Lost User

            I did some work on AIX drivers some years back, starting from scratch, and that had really good kernel tracing in it. My only problem was the lack of formal training so I was learning and writing at the same time.

            Use the best guess

            R Offline
            R Offline
            Rajesh R Subramanian
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Richard MacCutchan wrote:

            My only problem was the lack of formal training so I was learning and writing at the same time.

            Does this have anything to do with your signature? :)

            "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

            L 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • R Rajesh R Subramanian

              Richard MacCutchan wrote:

              My only problem was the lack of formal training so I was learning and writing at the same time.

              Does this have anything to do with your signature? :)

              "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

              L Offline
              L Offline
              Lost User
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              You guessed it analysed the problem and reached the correct conclusion. ;)

              Use the best guess

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • M Mark_Wallace

                I have no idea about most of what you're talking about, but it's compelling reading.

                I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

                E Offline
                E Offline
                Erudite_Eric
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                I have got gdb on my mind... oh my god, I have beome a Linuxer!

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • R Rajesh R Subramanian

                  I can ignore every other typo, but please spell WinDbg correctly. :)

                  "Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.

                  E Offline
                  E Offline
                  Erudite_Eric
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  I have got gdb on my mind... oh my god, I have beome a Linuxer!

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • E Erudite_Eric

                    After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

                    G Offline
                    G Offline
                    Gary Wheeler
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Given that the head of the Windows Driver Development group is named S. A. Tan, any other kernel development gig has to be an improvement.

                    Software Zen: delete this;

                    M 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • E Erudite_Eric

                      After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

                      A Offline
                      A Offline
                      AlphaDeltaTheta
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Happy linux user & kernel hacker available here :-D

                      Beauty cannot be defined by abscissas and ordinates; neither are circles and ellipses created by their geometrical formulas.

                      ~ Carl von Clausewitz ~

                      Source

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • G Gary Wheeler

                        Given that the head of the Windows Driver Development group is named S. A. Tan, any other kernel development gig has to be an improvement.

                        Software Zen: delete this;

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Member 4608898
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        I know someone called S.A. Tan. His parents didn't think of it because in the Far East, he is Stephen Tan Aun: they put the Christian name first, surname in the middle and given Chinese names at the end. His initials were STA. When he came to the west, he put his given name before the surname and became Stephen Aun Tan or S.A.Tan.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • E Erudite_Eric

                          After many many years doing Windows kernel with a bit of Linux, perhaps a few months at most, I have transitioned to the Linux kernel on a probably majority basis, given the lack of Windows kernel work these days. And it is interesting. On Windows I wrote mostly USB device drivers recently, on Linux I get to write the USB HCI driver that interrats directly with the hub. This is much more fun, prodding arond in the registers, setig bits here and there, Reminds me of NT4 with its monolythic drivers that sit directly on the hardware. One thign of interest, is just how similar the kernels are, a Linux SoftIrq is a Windows DISPATCH_LEVEL call, spinlocks, semaphores and events are the same, of course the hardware and language are the same, adn the only real difference is the architectural model, and the inter driver communication. IRPs on Windows and Structs with funtion ponters on Linux. Have to say though that Wingdb, the Windows kernel debugger is way way beter than the kgdb/gdb combo on Linux, and the inability to build a non optimised Linux kernel makes stepping through code limited. But its been an easy transition all in all, far easier than I expected. I wouldnt think going from Linux to Windows would be though, the ramp up in complexity is considerable.

                          T Offline
                          T Offline
                          T800G
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          I thought of getting to know Linux system in general once, but I gave up simply because reading MSDN is sufficient to learn all those bits and pieces. Linux will never have anything like it, even XCode surpasses their attempts by far.

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