article

Maintainability of the kernels of open-source operating systems: A comparison of Linux with FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD

Authors:

Stephen R. Schach,

Gillian Z. Heller,

Jeff OffuttAuthors Info & Claims

Journal of Systems and Software, Volume 79, Issue 6

Pages 807 - 815

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2005.08.014

Published: 01 June 2006 Publication History

Abstract

We compared and contrasted the maintainability of four open-source operating systems: Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD. We used our categorization of common coupling in kernel-based software to highlight future maintenance problems. An unsafe definition is a definition of a global variable that can affect a kernel module if that definition is changed. For each operating system we determined a number of measures, including the number of global variables, the number of instances of global variables in the kernel and overall, as well as the number of unsafe definitions in the kernel and overall. We also computed the value of each our measures per kernel KLOC and per KLOC overall. For every measure and every ratio, Linux compared unfavorably with FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD. Accordingly, we are concerned about the future maintainability of Linux.

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Cited By

Alami APardo RLinåker J(2024)Free open source communities sustainability: Does it make a difference in software quality?Empirical Software Engineering10.1007/s10664-024-10529-629:5Online publication date: 23-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10664-024-10529-6
Boos KVecchio EZhong L(2017)A Characterization of State Spill in Modern Operating SystemsProceedings of the Twelfth European Conference on Computer Systems10.1145/3064176.3064205(389-404)Online publication date: 23-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3064176.3064205
Robinson WRuiz C(2011)Measuring Open Source QualityInternational Journal of Open Source Software and Processes10.4018/jossp.20110701043:3(48-65)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.4018/jossp.2011070104
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Maintainability of the kernels of open-source operating systems: A comparison of Linux with FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD

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Published In

cover image Journal of Systems and Software

Journal of Systems and Software Volume 79, Issue 6

June 2006

144 pages

ISSN:0164-1212

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Copyright © Elsevier Inc. © 2005.

Publisher

Elsevier Science Inc.

United States

Publication History

Published: 01 June 2006

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Cited By

Alami APardo RLinåker J(2024)Free open source communities sustainability: Does it make a difference in software quality?Empirical Software Engineering10.1007/s10664-024-10529-629:5Online publication date: 23-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10664-024-10529-6
Boos KVecchio EZhong L(2017)A Characterization of State Spill in Modern Operating SystemsProceedings of the Twelfth European Conference on Computer Systems10.1145/3064176.3064205(389-404)Online publication date: 23-Apr-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3064176.3064205
Robinson WRuiz C(2011)Measuring Open Source QualityInternational Journal of Open Source Software and Processes10.4018/jossp.20110701043:3(48-65)Online publication date: 1-Jul-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.4018/jossp.2011070104
Spinellis DSchäfer WDwyer MGruhn V(2008)A tale of four kernelsProceedings of the 30th international conference on Software engineering10.1145/1368088.1368140(381-390)Online publication date: 15-May-2008
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1368088.1368140
Sohn SMok M(2008)A strategic analysis for successful open source software utilization based on a structural equation modelJournal of Systems and Software10.1016/j.jss.2007.08.03481:6(1014-1024)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2008
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.jss.2007.08.034

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