MkLinux
| Developer | OSF Research Institute, Apple Computer, MkLinux Developers Association, volunteer community |
|---|---|
| OS family | |
| Working state | Legacy / discontinued |
| Source model | Open source |
| Initial release | February 1996 |
| Latest release | Pre-R2 / August 5, 2002 |
| Marketing target | researchers and hobbyists |
| Package manager | RPM |
| Platforms | PowerPC |
| Kernel type | Microkernel |
| Userland | Red Hat Linux |
| Default user interface | console and X11 |
| License | GNU General Public License |
| Succeeded by | macOS, PureDarwin, and Linux |
| Official website | mklinux |
MkLinux is an open source computer operating system started by the Open Software Foundation Research Institute and Apple Computer in February 1996 to port Linux to the PowerPC platform, and Macintosh computers. MkLinux is short for "Microkernel Linux", which refers to the project's adaptation of the Linux kernel to run as a server hosted atop version 3.0 of the Mach microkernel.
MkLinux started as a project sponsored by Apple Computer and OSF Research Institute, to get "Linux on Mach" ported to the Macintosh computer and for Apple to explore alternative kernel technologies on the Mac platform. At the time, there was no officially sponsored PowerPC port of Linux, and none specifically for Macintosh hardware. The OSF Institute, owner of the Mach microkernel and several other Unix-based technologies, was interested in promoting Mach on other platforms. Unlike the design of the later macOS, MkLinux was specifically meant to take full advantage of the Mach microkernel. By contrast, macOS inherited from NeXTSTEP the hybrid kernel called XNU, wherein the BSD kernel personality is grafted atop Mach, which are both run together in a single kernel address space.
The effort was spearheaded by Brett Halle at Apple, and development was later split between two main people: Michael Burg on device drivers and distribution at Apple in Cupertino, California; and Nick Stephen on Mach porting and development at the OSF in Grenoble, France. Other key individuals to work on the project included François Barbou at OSF, and Vicki Brown and Gilbert Coville at Apple.
MkLinux was officially announced at the 1996 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). A free CD containing a binary distribution of MkLinux was handed out to the attendees.
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