A Non-GNU Linux Distribution Built With LLVM & BSD Software Aims For Alpha Next Month

[J65nko]

From https://www.phoronix.com/news/BSD-LL...x-Alpha-Coming:

In development now for nearly two years is Chimera Linux as a "non-GNU" Linux distribution built with the LLVM Clang compiler, leveraging musl libc, and commonly relying on BSD user-space software components. After a lot of work on bringing up Chimera Linux as well as getting a Wayland-based deskttop going, the project is aiming for its alpha release within the next month.

Chimera Linux lead developer Daniel Kolesa presented at FOSDEM this past weekend on this "BSD/LLVM distro from scratch." Chimera Linux since shifting focus as a "BSD" Linux distribution has been relying on core tools from FreeBSD, making use of LLVM/Clang rather than GCC, and achieved self-booting in late 2021. For the package manager Alpine Linux's apk is being used.

[Onauk]

Always interesting to see BSD userspace available, I think it helps writing better shell scripts. At least it did for me

[hitest]

Cool! Always nice to see new operating systems in development!

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Very interesting.

I love Alpine because of the lack of GNU bloat but the busybox user land is so limiting I usually end up installing coreutils & co. anyway, which kind of defeats the point.

I'll have to try this out...

[shep]

Although using the Hurd Mach Kernel throws GNU back in the Mix, it would make Tim Cook take notice.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

EDIT: never mind, I got confused. It's too early here. Sorry for the noise.

[nipos]

That looks like a really good option for devices where I'm forced to stick to Linux for the sake of driver availability.
I think I'll try that on a Raspberry as soon as I find time,as FreeBSD doesn't have Wifi there.
From a first quick look,the only disappointing thing is that it seems to use Wayland,one of Red Hats "let's just reinvent the wheel and make it a cube" nonsense instead of Xorg :/
But maybe Xorg can be installed,too,have only checked two public screenshots so far.

[bsd-keith]

Interesting idea, but I wonder if it will go the same way as Debian/kFreeBSD.

If you want the BSD security, use BSD......

[nipos]

Well,Debian/kFreeBSD is exactly the opposite way.
They use a BSD kernel below a Debian+GNU Userland,so you get all the pain of using Debian plus some drivers are possibly missing.
Chimera,on the other hand,uses a Linux kernel so you get all the drivers,and it's possibly not that painful to use like a normal Linux distribution,as it uses most parts of the excellent FreeBSD userland.