Ask Moshe Bar about [your choice here] 473
Moshe Bar is (pick one) 1. A Linux kernel developer; 2. A motorcycle enthusiast; 3. The primary openMosix maintainer; 4. A respected Linux device driver writer; 5. Author of several books and many articles about Linux; 6. Newly married. 7. A Talmudic scholar; 8. All of the above. The correct answer is 8, and since in addition to (or perhaps because of) all this Moshe is a popular guy, this interview is here by reader request. (Yes, we take interview requests; send them to robin@roblimo.com.) Ask Moshe whatever you wish, one question per post. We'll send him 10 of the highest moderated questions and post his answers as soon as he gets them back to us.
Bikes (Score:3, Interesting)
What's your primary browser? (Score:1, Interesting)
Time (Score:2, Interesting)
Open Source (Score:3, Interesting)
Also, Do yout think that Germany's swich to open source will have a signifigant impact on the open source community and/or IT in general?
openMosix (Score:4, Interesting)
Getting started as a kernel developer... (Score:3, Interesting)
With that in mind, are there any suggestions you could make to those of us interested in kernel development, on how to get started?
Thanks up front.
Talmud and Technology (Score:4, Interesting)
Different social groups (Score:5, Interesting)
Favorite historical figure.. (Score:2, Interesting)
What is your favorite Isreali historical figure?
Linux and Jewish Law (Score:5, Interesting)
By the same doctrine, computerized systems can be booted on the day before the sabbath and then put on an autmatic mode during the sabbath. During that time, a sysadmin can address important issues as they creep up, just like he would add a log to the fire he started before the sabbath.
Right? Please correct me if I'm not.
Okay, this said, is Linux kosher for the sabbath? Is it permissable to say, perform a checkfs during the holy day? What tasks can you perform and what tasks can't you?
As a device driver writer... (Score:5, Interesting)
Is this a reasonable request? (doable?)
why/why not?
What was their expression??? (Score:3, Interesting)
Talk about priceless
Database Clusters (Score:5, Interesting)
As a cluster guru, I am curious about your take on database server clustering in both the commercial and the open-source space.
First, it appears that IBM DB2 has been wiping the floor with Oracle on the TPC benchmarks lately, and Oracle "RAC" has been a flop. However, IBM is not using any hardware from its proprietary server lines, but instead relies on clusters of "federated" databases running on 32 standard PCs running either Linux or Windows. It does appear that Oracle still generally beats IBM in raw performance on a single system (as IBM refuses to post any non-clustered benchmarks AFAIK).
Do you think that any of the hype over either of these vendors cluster packages is worth attention? Do you agree with Sun's claim that TPC(-C) no longer has any practical relevance? It all seems to be getting rather silly.
Second, is there any push to make any of the ACID-leaning open databases (Postgres, SAP-DB, etc.) fault-tolerant, perhaps using Mosix? I assume this would require modifications to Postgres enabling it to access raw partitions. Have you had any talks with the Red Hat Database people about cluster modifications to Postgres, just out of curiousity?
the future of linux (Score:2, Interesting)
Do you think the linux kernel, openMosix, and Open Source in general can break out of that stereotype?
Motorcycle Question (Score:3, Interesting)
As for me, I think someone is cashing in on a classic. Tis a shame.
Re:Most important question. (Score:5, Interesting)
You do all that and have a wife? How can you possibly find time for her? Does she want more time? Does she kernel hack with you?
Sidenote: Before people bitch about the 'one question rule', all of it could be slurped up into one question, I just broke it down so that its more readable
linux filesystems (Score:1, Interesting)
(most structural basics and concepts are not explained but
just used, maybe a third of the book are sourcecode
dumps and partly very outdated howtos) will you finish it
and bring it into a form that makes it worth buying?
Tomas Pospisek
Re:Linux and Jewish Law (Score:3, Interesting)
It's more that electricity is classified as 'fire' and electrical devices are subject to the laws governing fire. That is the case when the electricity has the potential to create a fire, because it creates heat or sparks. Solid-state electronics and LEDs are a different matter, but that's getting into some obscure rulings and in practice almost all electrical devices are treated as fire.
but the way I understand it, a fire cannot be started on the sabbath, but a fire can be maintained during the sabbath...just like he would add a log to the fire he started before the sabbath.
No, the fire can't be touched at all, except for reasons of safety. On holidays, which have a weaker set of restrictions, the fire can be tended.
By the same doctrine, computerized systems can be booted on the day before the sabbath and then put on an autmatic mode during the sabbath.
That's a different issue -- if a cron job or something similar is configured before the Sabbath starts, there's no problem with its running itself. Most religious Jewish homes have lights connected to timers for precisely that sort of thing.
ok, so I admit it... (Score:3, Interesting)
however, it says here you develop drivers.
how does one get into that sort of thing starting out? obviously you've been doing it for a while. how would someone who has a base understanding of assembly and C get into this? it's a big field, and I wouldn't know where to start, but I would like to help some day.
status of migrating sockets development (Score:2, Interesting)
And what about other forms of IPC communication? is there a (performance) contrainidication on their use on mosix clusters?
What area of law are you studying? (Score:5, Interesting)
UnitedLinux (Score:3, Interesting)
Single Memory Space for openMosix (Score:5, Interesting)
Is there any work planned to enhance openMosix to support a single memory space among all nodes or to otherwise allow implicit sharing of memory? Is this what the "network RAM" research is attempting?
Implementing something along these lines in an efficient manner would hugely expand the range of problems that openMosix could be used to tackle.
Imagine being able to split a database transaction into hundreds of parts and run it in parallel on hundreds of openMosix nodes with a terabyte or more of combined RAM. The processes that share data would automatically migrate to the same node. Mmmmm good!
Congratulations... (Score:3, Interesting)
Introducing a Ms. usually complicates the hacker lifestyle. Despite good intentions on both sides, scheduling conflicts erupt and something has to give.
How well does Ms. Bar understand your {"fascination", "interest", "obsession", "devotion"} to computing? How about your other hobbies and interests?
IBM and Hercules? (Score:5, Interesting)
You've mentioned Hercules in your column a couple of times, both quite favorably. Thanks!
One industry analyst from Germany has claimed repeatedly that IBM is getting ready to slap down Hercules with its lawyers, on the basis of some unspecified violations of their intellectual property rights. He's said that it's not just patent infringement, but refuses to go into exactly what else.
What effect would you think that taking such an action would have on IBM once the open source community finds out?
Thread migration (Score:3, Interesting)
This design goal isn't always realized though, because OpenMosix works with processes as the atomic work-distribution unit, and not treads. ie. OpenMosix can't migrate multithreaded apps.
Is thread support planned for *any* future version of OpenMosix?
a mature kernel? (Score:4, Interesting)
I can't help thinking that the Linux kernel may be a little like string theory in physics. String theory tends to attract young people who are the most talented of all, and you have to wonder whether their talents are being wasted, since string theory might not even reflect reality.
People of faith in Free Software (Score:2, Interesting)
How is that you relate your Jewish faith with the work as a Free Software developer, and the central tenets of the Free Software movement?
Re:Bikes (Score:2, Interesting)
I have never liked the Valkarie. In addition I realy dont like the styling on any of the newer honda cruisers. for styling reasons alone, I would buy a V-star or Road-star before a recent model honda. Its just my opinion of course, other people might love them, but they just dont do it for me.
I used to like the Kawasakis but for reasons unknown the look of the 1500 cruiser do much for me anymore, and I think the roadstar is a better deal.
The reason I dont buy an old bike is that I dont have the time or skill to do a full rebuild on a bike... The new 88 ci engine from harley is a beautiful piece of work, and it will provide me with all the hours of riding that I desire this summer, and this winter I can tear it down and get my hands dirty.
thats what I am looking for in a bike, and the harley delivered it nicely. It also helps that I got a good deal on a bareley broken in 2000 FXDL (under 5k miles) with plenty of extras on it, most of which were things I would have spent money on anyway.
Dont get me wrong. I hold no ill will to japaneese bikes (even sport bikes, I kind of like them actualy) and you definitely pay a premium for the harley davidson, but for me, it was worth the money to get the exact bike I wanted. hopefully, with proper maintinence I will be riding it for years to come.
Honesty (Score:1, Interesting)
Remember me, Mark?
I have a question for you.
When you hire someone from abroad to do something for you, and you make an agreement in advance about what he gets for it.
What do you do? Do you keep your word or are you just a lying basterd?
Thanks for your time.
Mark Santcroos
ps. I hate begging for money, but I couldn't let this opporturnity go by.
Re:Linux and Jewish Law (Score:4, Interesting)
However, there are numerous situations where making fire can be considered play.
Not by orthodox jews. "Work" is probably a poor translation into English of what is forbidden on the Sabbath. For example, a Rabbi and his staff are permitted to do their jobs on the Sabbath (it is their job). Likewise, there are several leisure activities which are forbidden. So the distinction isn't "fun vs. not fun" or "making money vs. not making money". Even if you like playiung video games or want to watch the hockey game, you can't.
"Doing Work" really means "using technology" or "doing creative things" or "transporting large objects outdoors", etc.
Note that I'm not Jewish either, but for 2 1/2 years I rented a basement apartment from an Orthodox Jewish family and learned a lot about the religion at that time.
An excellent read is Judaism 101 [jewfaq.org]
.Practical OpenMosix (Score:3, Interesting)
a liittle clarity on the Jewish p.o.v. (Score:2, Interesting)
There have been a lot of posts about conflicts or lackof with Halachik (orthodox) Judaism and tech. I'm sure Moshe knows his stuff and I'm also sure that he would be embarassed to be called a Talmud scholar. However, could he/you perhaps spend some time dispelling myths and explaining facts about some of the issues. I don't think a discussion on using email as a shaliach (third party) for divorce papers is necessary or the difference between "G-D" on paper and "God" on a computer screen (which is a comlex issue. But ideas about how the sabbath fits in with practical life and place of God in his personal life would be illuminating.
Useless use of linux (Score:2, Interesting)
What would you like to see on linux that would fit that category?
Fast compile server (Score:2, Interesting)
What solution have you used?
Did you look at using ram disks?