%T RMoX: A raw\-metal occam Experiment
%A  Christian L. Jacobsen,  Frederick R. M. Barnes,  Brian Vinter
%E  Jan F. Broenink,  Gerald H. Hilderink
%B Communicating Process Architectures 2003
%X Operating\-systems are the core software component of many
   modern computersystems, ranging from small specialised
   embedded systems through to largedistributed
   operating\-systems. This paper presents RMoX: a highly
   concurrent CSPbasedoperating\-system written in occam. The
   motivation for this stems from theoverwhelming need for
   reliable, secure and scalable operating\-systems. The
   majorityof operating\-systems are written in C, a language
   that easily offers the level offlexibility required (for
   example, interfacing with assembly routines). C
   compilers,however, provide little or no mechanism to guard
   against race\-hazard and aliasing errors,that can lead to
   catastrophic run\-time failure (as well as to more subtle
   errors,such as security loop\-holes). The RMoX
   operating\-system presents a novel approachto
   operating\-system design (although this is not the first
   CSP\-based operating\-system).Concurrency is utilised at all
   levels, resulting in a system design that is well
   defined,easily understood and scalable. The implementation,
   using the KRoC extended occam,provides guarantees of freedom
   from race\-hazard and aliasing errors, and makesextensive
   use of the recently added support for dynamic process
   creation and channelmobility. Whilst targeted at mainstream
   computing, the ideas and methods presentedare equally
   applicable for small\-scale embedded systems \- where
   advantage can bemade of the lightweight nature of RMoX
   (providing fast interrupt responses, for example).