The Lions Operating System
Key topics
The Lions Operating System has commenters abuzz, with many diving into the nostalgic world of Unix and exploring the OS's historical significance. Some folks are ripping apart the code, analyzing its inner workings and sharing insights on its design choices. As discussion unfolds, a consensus emerges that the Lions OS remains a valuable learning tool, offering a unique window into the evolution of operating system design. Regulars are revisiting the good old days of Unix, and the thread is sparking a lively debate about the enduring relevance of this vintage OS.
Snapshot generated from the HN discussion
Discussion Activity
Moderate engagementFirst comment
20m
Peak period
6
0-3h
Avg / period
3.3
Based on 30 loaded comments
Key moments
- 01Story posted
Nov 20, 2025 at 1:19 PM EST
about 2 months ago
Step 01 - 02First comment
Nov 20, 2025 at 1:39 PM EST
20m after posting
Step 02 - 03Peak activity
6 comments in 0-3h
Hottest window of the conversation
Step 03 - 04Latest activity
Nov 22, 2025 at 2:18 AM EST
about 2 months ago
Step 04
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[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lions
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Commentary_on_the_UNIX_Opera...
Mascot is, unrelatedly, also a suburb of Sydney.
Hang on, what? Genode can run on seL4 but seL4 is not part of it. Genode can also run on Linux and a bunch of other things. It has its own native kernel and it's not based on seL4 in any way, AFAIK.
1: https://os.inf.tu-dresden.de/L4/l3elan.html
like reviving OSfree aka 64bit OS/2
It never happened.
Do not miss Gernot Heiser's recent talk[1] at the seL4 Summit, where among other things he shows seL4 massively outperforming Linux in a web server scenario.
0. https://lionsos.org/docs/examples/firewall/
1. https://youtu.be/wP48V34lDhk
Unfortunately, like Genode, this approach yields something that is interesting, but can't be a daily driver for me. 8(
Meanwhile, the US national security continues its downhill slide because we've chosen operating systems based on ambient authority.
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