Abstract
The Venus Operating System is an experimental multiprogramming system which supports five or six concurrent users on a small computer. The system was produced to test the effect of machine architecture on complexity of software. The system is defined by a combination of microprograms and software. The microprogram defines a machine with some unusual architectural features; the software exploits these features to define the operating system as simply as possible. In this paper the development of the system is described, with particular emphasis on the principles which guided the design.
B. H. Liskov, The design of the Venus operating system. Communications of the ACM 15, 3 (March 1972), 144–149.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dijkstra, E.W. The structure of the ‘THE’ multiprogramming system. Comm. ACM11, 5 (May 1968), 341–346.
Huberman, B.J. Principles of operation of the Venus microprogram. MTR 1843, F19(628)-71-C-0002, The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, Mass., May 1970.
Corbato, F.J., and Vyssotsky, V.A. Introduction and overview of the Multics system. Proc. AFIPS 1965 FJCC, Vol. 27, Pt 1, Spartan Books, New York, pp. 185–196.
Saltzer, J.H. Traffic control in a multiplexed computer system. Tech. Rep. TR-30, Proj. MAC, MIT, Cambridge, Mass., June, 1966.
Habermann, A.N. Prevention of system deadlocks. Comm. ACM12, 7 (July 1969), 373–377, 385.
Holt, R.C. Comments on prevention of system deadlocks. Comm. ACM14, 1 (Jan. 1971), 36–38.
Coffman, E.G. Jr., Elphick, M.J., and Shoshani, A. System deadlocks. Computing Surveys3, 2 (June 1971), 67–78.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Liskov, B.H. (2001). The Design of the Venus Operating System. In: Hansen, P.B. (eds) Classic Operating Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3510-9_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-3510-9_14
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-2881-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-3510-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive