Driver and Kernel

When I been assign this position, I though I should work like a Kernel. There are a few applications running at higher level, when they request for resources, I will try my best to arrange resources for them, for example enough amount of RAM, processing power and disk space, so that they can perform their task smoothly.

Recently I found that my functionality is like a driver in a car more than a kernel in an OS.

Just imaging that I am a driver in a big car, the big and long one, got long car body, but only limited seat inside. The rest of the space in the car may be is a wine bar or TV set or Jacuzzi and so on. But one thing is this car not powered by petrol but a few robots. These robots need to roll the wheel, turn the wheel, generate power for the TV set and even stop the car. So while I driving, I am not turning the steering, I am giving order to those robots.

So I got a few master, they all sit at the back row. I received order from them.

One day, the car was sent for upgrade, because the upgrade involves the front part of the car, so some of the robots were temporally move into the car booth. While waiting for the upgrade complete, Master B keeps on asking me to clean up the car booth. I am not sure what the reason is but I really feel that wasn’t the right time. Because no matter how hard we clean up the car booth, the robot will still have to work at there as long as the upgrade still in progress. As long as the robots working in the car booth, the car booth will be looking messy.

Master B said that he want to through away all the CD in the car booth. The reason I refuse to do that is Streamyx line might do down, the web site that host the driver which we need might down for maintenance and we wouldn’t know when we will going to need those software. I hope those who had been benefit from those CD will help me defend those CD together.

All of my Master would like to see the car booth to be clean but they seldom consider current situation. Master C said got visitor, ask me to move some equipment from the car into the car booth, after moving those equipment, the car booth look very full and messy again. Those equipment suppose to have a room to store it, I been told by Master A a month ago. Master B even suggests me to ask those robots clean up the booth while they are recharging. I don’t think this is a good idea, because I need these robots to be fully charge. This car booth was causing a lot trouble to me but today I am talking about my functionality so I will not discuss here.

One day, Master A told me that to make those robots in the car more powerful, we should have training for them. Of course I would be very happy to hear that because once those robots become more powerful, the car will be able to more faster and safer. Then Master A said he will arrange it.

Few days later, Master B said that the training was cancel and asked me to inform those robots. Because that day, a few robots was injured, besides driving the car, I have to generate power for the car as well. So I don't have time to think too much, just send a signal to those robots saying that the training was cancel. A few hours later, while I was still busy generating power, Master A ask me why the training was cancel and didn't inform him. Because the training was for those robots, of course I will not think of inform him, further more, I though there are closer communication between master and master.

What is the different between a Kernel in the OS and a Driver in the car?

If I am a kernel,
- I can determine whether I should discard or keep those resources.
- I can determine when will be the best time for the system to run disk defragmentation.

If I am a driver,
- My Master will order me to through away those CD.
- My Master will order me to clean up the car booth at specific time.


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