Andy Microbaum
Andy abhors monolithic kernels like Linux, Windows or BSD. He rather writes a carefully designed little kernel that does some basic stuff and leaves the rest for user space.
Pro's & Con's
Pro:
- easier to maintain
Con:
- more overhead
- harder to program
Going further than Andy Microbaum
Consider other kernel designs: Layered, modular or even smaller (nanokernel, exokernel)
Andy Microbaum's bookshelf
Research papers on microkernels
Andy Microbaum's opponents position
Monolithic kernel (= all in one big kernel)
- Amoeba (a distributed OS)
- Mach (the fundament of Hurd)
- PeterX I'm strongly against a monolithic kernel, so I fall more or less under the microkernel category