Genode OS Framework release 16.05

With version 16.05, the Genode API receives a fundamental revision. The list of further improvements ranges from the introduction of Rust, over improved GDB support, to a profound update of many device drivers and ACPI features.

The current release marks the most profound API revision in the project's history. The new API is designed to reinforce the best practices for implementing Genode components. It is the result of countless experiments and the practical experiences made while developing over hundred genuine components during the past ten years.

The introduction of the new API prompted us to rework our documentation. In particular, Genode 16.05 is accompanied with a new edition of the "Genode Foundations" book that incorporates all architectural changes and interface modifications of the past year.

The second focus of the current release is the major update of device drivers. All the drivers that we ported from the Linux kernel correspond now to Linux version 4.4.3. Those drivers comprise the Intel wireless stack, the Intel graphics driver, the USB drivers, and the TCP/IP stack. The updated OpenBSD-based audio driver corresponds to OpenBSD 5.9.

Apart from the revision of the base framework and device drivers, Genode gains the ability to use the Rust programming language, makes many ACPI features accessible, and allows the use of the GNU debugger with the 64-bit version of the NOVA hypervisor.

The complete story behind these and many more changes is covered by the release documentation of version 16.05...