Barrelfish (operating system)

{{Infobox OS

| name = Barrelfish

| logo = Barrelfish logo.png

| logo_size = 150px

| screenshot =

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| developer = ETH Zurich with assistance of Microsoft Research

| family =

| working_state = Discontinued

| source_model = Open source

| released = {{Release date and age|2009|09|15}}

| latest_release_version = 2020.03.23

| latest_release_date = {{Release date and age|2020|03|23}}

| latest_preview_version =

| latest_preview_date =

| frequently_updated =

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| updatemodel =

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| supported_platforms =

| kernel_type = Multikernel, Microkernel

| userland =

| ui =

| license = MIT License

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| website = {{URL|www.barrelfish.org}}

}}

Barrelfish is an experimental computer operating system built by ETH Zurich with the assistance of Microsoft Research in Cambridge.{{cite web|url=http://www.barrelfish.org|title=The Barrelfish Operating System}}{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2009/09/29/microsoft-unveils-barrelfish-multi-core-optimized-os/|title=Microsoft unveils Barrelfish multi-core optimized OS|author=Joseph L. Flatley|date=2009-09-29|website=Engadget}}{{cite web|url=https://www.infoworld.com/article/2629671/microsoft--barrelfish--os-will-speed-multicore-systems.html|title=Microsoft 'Barrelfish' OS will speed multicore systems|author=Jeremy Kirk|date=2009-09-30|website=InfoWorld}} It is an experimental operating system designed from the ground up for scalability for computers built with multi-core processors with the goal of reducing the compounding decrease in benefit as more CPUs are used in a computer by putting low-level hardware information in a database, thus removing the need for driver software.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft%20Unveils%20Barrelfish%20a%20New%20Multicore%20OS/article16344.htm|title=Microsoft Unveils "Barrelfish", a New Multi-core OS|author=Jason Mick|date=2009-09-28|website=DailyTech|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192056/http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft%20Unveils%20Barrelfish%20a%20New%20Multicore%20OS/article16344.htm|archive-date=2016-03-03}}{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-and-european-researchers-deliver-a-snapshot-of-multikernel-barrelfish-os/|title=Microsoft and European researchers deliver a snapshot of multikernel 'Barrelfish' OS|author=Mary Jo Foley|date=2009-09-25|website=ZDNet}}

The partners released the first snapshot of the OS on September 15, 2009{{cite web|url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2231840/microsoft--researchers-release-new-operating-system-project--barrelfish.html|title=Microsoft, researchers release new operating system project: Barrelfish|author=Julie Bort|date=2009-09-24|website=Network World}} with a second being released in March, 2011. Excluding some third-party libraries, which are covered by various BSD-like open source licenses, Barrelfish is released under the MIT license. Snapshots are regularly released, the last one dating to March 23, 2020.{{cite mailing list|url=https://lists.inf.ethz.ch/pipermail/barrelfish-users/2018-February/001519.html|title=New Barrelfish Release|author=Roni Häcki|date=2018-02-23|mailing-list=Barrelfish-users}}{{cite mailing list|url=https://lists.inf.ethz.ch/pipermail/barrelfish-users/2018-October/001568.html|title=New Barrelfish Release|author=Lukas Humbel|date=2018-10-04|mailing-list=Barrelfish-users}}{{cite mailing list|url=https://lists.inf.ethz.ch/pipermail/barrelfish-users/2020-March/001597.html|title=New Barrelfish Release|author=Lukas Humbel|date=2020-03-23|mailing-list=Barrelfish-users}}

While originally being developed in collaboration with Microsoft Research, it was also partly supported by Hewlett Packard Enterprise Labs, Huawei, Cisco, Oracle, and VMware before it was discontinued.