diff --git a/doc/news.txt b/doc/news.txt index 12a134c14..dd3663390 100644 --- a/doc/news.txt +++ b/doc/news.txt @@ -3,6 +3,54 @@ Genode News =========== +Genode OS Framework release 19.11 | 2019-11-28 +############################################## + +| Following this year's theme of "bridging worlds", Genode 19.11 adds the +| ability to use popular build tools like CMake for application development, +| introduces a new virtual-machine monitor for 64-bit ARM, and enhances +| POSIX compatibility. As another highlight, it features the first version +| of our custom block-device encrypter. + +Block-device encryption is a feature often requested by users of our Sculpt OS. +Until now, we deliberately left this topic unaddressed because we felt that a +profound answer was beyond our expertise. However, during the past year, we +dived deep into it. The result is the prototype for a new block encrypter that +encrypts data but also protects integrity and freshness. For us, the +implementation of the encrypter is especially intriguing because - with about +7000 lines of code - it is Genode's first non-trivial component written in the +[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARK_(programming_language) - SPARK] +programming language. + +The second major addition is a new virtual machine monitor (VMM) for 64-bit +ARM platforms such as the NXP i.MX8. It leverages the +[https://genode.org/documentation/articles/arm_virtualization - proof of concept] +we developed in 2015 for ARMv7, which we pursued as a technology exploration. +In contrast, our aspiration with the new VMM is a product-quality solution. + +In our [https://genode.org/about/road-map - road map] for 2019, we stated +the "bridging of worlds" as our overall theme for this year. On that account, +the current release moves the project forward on two levels. First, by +successively increasing the scope of POSIX compatibility, we reduce the +friction when porting existing application software to Genode. We managed +to bridge several gaps in our POSIX support that we considered as impossible +to cover some years ago. In particular, we identified ways to emulate certain +POSIX signals, ioctl calls, and fork/execve semantics. This way, popular +software such as bash, coreutils, or Vim can now be executed as regular +Genode components with no additional runtime environment (like Noux or a VMM) +required. + +At a higher level, the current release introduces new tooling especially +geared at the development and porting of application software. Compared to +Genode's regular development tools, which were designed for whole-system +development, the new tool called Goa relieves the developer from the +complexity of Genode's custom build system and instead promotes the use of +popular commodity solutions like CMake. + +These and more topics are described in the +[https:/documentation/release-notes/19.11 - release documentation of version 19.11...] + + Genode OS Framework release 19.08 | 2019-08-28 ##############################################