Re: User Mode Linux on Win32 [Was: Re: Wine on Cygwin]

[Jeff Dike <jdike at karaya dot com>]

vherva@mail.niksula.cs.hut.fi said:
> Actually, the author of User Mode Linux, Jeff Dike, is actively
> searching for volunteers to undertake (or participate to) the Windows
> port of UML.

Indeed I am.  It's interesting for all the reasons given that Wine on Cygwin 
would be interesting, plus it would be useful for all the reasons people run 
Linux on vmware on windows.  It would also be more lightweight than vmware, 
and there would be fewer barriers to its use since it would be free (speech 
and beer), so it would have an easier time infiltrating Windows desktops than 
vmware.

>  Some progress has already been made, so this not a
> start-from-scratch offer. 

There is the start of a Linux execution environment which does the system call 
interception necessary to virtualize system calls (see 
http://neomueller.org/~isamu/line/).  This was headed in the direction of 
being UML on Windows, but never made it all the way.

That's the major thing that needs to work.  There is some fancy mmapping going 
on, and the various Windowses apparently differ in their ability to do that.

There are a couple other things that might be tricky, but if you can get the 
system call interception and memory mapping working, the whole thing will 
probably work.

So, if you're interesting in participating in this, let me know.  I know squat 
about Windows, but I'll be happy to help in whatever other way I can.

				Jeff



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