This is the 35th post of a series of blog posts tracking the development and progress of Redox, the Rust operating system. If you want to know more about Redox in general, visit our [Github page](https://github.com/redox-os/redox).
*(edited by [@goyox86](https://github.com/goyox86))*
# PSA
If you have any questions, ideas, or are curious about Redox, we recommend joining `#redox` on `irc.mozilla.org`, [our Discourse forum](https://discourse.redox-os.org/) or you can get an invite to our chat by sending an email request to `info@redox-os.org`.
# What's new in Redox?
## TL;DR
Hello people! Welcome to the 35th edition of TWiRx!
We started this year with [@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) being featured on the [Changelog](https://changelog.com/podcast/280) talking about building a secure operating system in Rust and about Redox in general. Make sure you listen to the episode, it's pretty good! (specially the part on which Jeremy says **SPOILER ALERT!**: "Redox is not going away")
This month we've also got the [Redox Crash Challenge](https://www.reddit.com/r/rust/comments/7rv9vw/redox_os_crash_challenge/) going on. An initiative to attempt to cause the system to:
- Escalate privilege.
- Lock up.
- Kernel panic.
- Program crash.
- Any other unexpected behavior.
Basically, a fun way of testing and discover bugs in the system, and ultimately hardening it!
Regarding changes, we have some interesting ones. Starting with the work done in the **kernel** related to the implementation of the `SIGCONT/SIGSTOP` signals, fixes for the TLS when forking that were causing some programs to misbehave and/or crash, and the implementation of `waitpid` on `PGID`.
One interesting thing I saw in the kernel was the start of the work on PTI (Page Table Isolation) as a mitigation for the recently discovered [Meltdown vulnerability](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meltdown_(security_vulnerability)). I was gladly impressed when looking at the [changes](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/a6550341bbe3614d595dd8ba8113517f3a25f637), very interesting to see how small, localized and the time frame in which they were made. One of the advantages of having a microkernel!
Also in the low level, **syscall**, our system call interface crate, got a bunch of additions like: `WUNTRACED`/`WCONTINUED`, `wif*` functions, and lastly a few more `wait` calls.
A quick look at **Redoxfs** reveals a small change to enter into the null namespace by [@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51).
Moving up to the **drivers**[@ids1024](https://github.com/ids1024) have been busy working on an `ATAPI` driver which gives support for CD-ROM drives. I think is pretty cool!
On the **Ion** shell We saw the addition `isatty` builtin by [@Sag0Sag0](https://github.com/Sag0Sag0) as well as many small fixes and improvements.
In the **Cookbook**, the collection of package recipes for Redox [@zachlute](https://github.com/zachlute) added the `logd` package which implements a log daemon located at `log:` for collecting all log output.
During this period, I saw a lot of activity on the GUI front, particularly **Orbtk** and **Orbutils** namely: Changes to allow apps to add classes and pseudo-classes to widgets, the addition of a `Style` trait to remaining widgets,
correction on the initialization of fonts in `WindowBuilder`, the implementation of `KeyPressed` and `KeyReleased` events and some other goodies. Good work [@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) and [@FloVanGH](https://github.com/FloVanGH)!
Last but not least we have the **Userutils****Coreutils** and **Extrautils** with bugfixes for `su`, updates to `README` and some unused code removal respectively.
Looking forward to see you soon in the next issue of TWiRx.
BTW! keep trying to [Crash Redox](https://www.reddit.com/r/rust/comments/7rv9vw/redox_os_crash_challenge/) and report bugs!
-[@FloVanGH](https://github.com/FloVanGH) Added `orbgame` to the readme. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/redox/pull/1140).
## book
The Redox book
-[@bmusin](https://github.com/bmusin) Replaced "I" with "We" for consistency with rest of text. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/book/pull/113)
## kernel
The Redox microkernel
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Added support for stop/cont signals. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/7906f6891e2501795d86f028363c6d5e434218ed).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Fixed TLS when forking, fixed signal delivery to self. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/c912f4280005fa0e9ce96c58f95b96d9bcbe1595).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Made a change to use separate stopped status. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/b6878760c72f73032cf3004d14f0966db0362d69).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Added support for `WCONTINUED` and `WUNTRACED`, Fixed issues with `SIGCONT`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/49d5c3392835070ae295a1ef1bb46337d9da1ad3).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Fixed stop signal by switching context after stopping. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/9313909fe9547970807424e99cbafef4e0ead285).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Implemented `waitpid` on `PGID`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/083c444a6823530e77dc0eb45f990f078348807e).
-[@wartman4404](https://github.com/wartman4404) Made an update to write `hpet` timer twice. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/pull/74).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Updated PTI patch to inline PTI functions. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/5b389c7ffaec7eba8259571b0fabb74f3e84bb6d).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Used `fninit` in start. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/1e533b3ad5524d226efcd5c883fa51c132753a11).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Removed comment from linker file. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/98fb50a086f33a85279decbf6fdffcee3d04b25f).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Disabled PTI by default. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/fee95a040667d18411a1e2416fb7edd43f04a56c).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Fixed potential overflows in validate_slice and validate_slice_mut, require memory to be userspace. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/dcb49be48133cf811dcd870e8af5f7ffaffc2ab0).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Fixed #81 by limiting arguments to 4095, Fix #79 by limiting mappable sections to the 2GB mark. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/commit/f3205e6e3491e48f1a41d87e47b3b26ef34852f1).
-[@biotty](https://github.com/biotty) Made a change to operate on word size as possible. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/kernel/pull/83).
## Drivers
Redox OS Drivers
-[@ids1024](https://github.com/ids1024) AHCI: Implemented basic ATAPI support (Needed for CD drives). Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/drivers/pull/22).
-[@ids1024](https://github.com/ids1024) AHCI: Refactored duplicated ATA command code into a method. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/drivers/pull/23).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Added more `wait` related calls. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/syscall/commit/7c805d2a289ec19bf505256eb90395913d9f50b9).
-[@ids1024](https://github.com/ids1024) Removed the `core_intrinsics` feature. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/syscall/pull/23).
## Ion
The Ion Shell. Compatible with Redox and Linux.
-[@mmstick](https://github.com/mmstick) Made some pipeline fixes & tests. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/665).
-[@gibfahn](https://github.com/gibfahn) Used `libc::__error()` rather than `libc::__errno_location()` on macOS. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/666).
-[@Sag0Sag0](https://github.com/Sag0Sag0) Added the `isatty` builtin. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/667).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Updated redox-syscall, to use `WUNTRACED` for `waitpid` in Redox. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/668).
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) Made a change to call `execve` from `fork_and_exec` in `sys/redox.rs` so they can share code. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/669).
-[@Sag0Sag0](https://github.com/Sag0Sag0) Cleaned up builtin `isatty`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/671).
-[@Sag0Sag0](https://github.com/Sag0Sag0) Updated methods used to print to `stdout` and `stderr`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/672).
-[@spacingnix](https://github.com/spacingnix) Fixed an array parsing issue. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/673).
-[@jD91mZM2](https://github.com/jD91mZM2) Moved `binary::main` into actual `main`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/677).
-[@aimof](https://github.com/aimof) Added tests to #638 array parsing issue. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/678).
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Synchronized Redox and Unix job_control. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/ion/pull/680).
## Cookbook
A collection of package recipes for Redox.
-[@zachlute](https://github.com/zachlute) Added the `logd` recipe. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/cookbook/pull/119).
## Orbtk
The Orbital Widget Toolkit. Compatible with Redox and SDL2.
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) Made an update to unpress buttons regardless of left_button state. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/64).
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle)[WIP] Allowed apps to add classes and pseudoclasses to widgets. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/65).
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) Added `Style` trait to remaining widgets, allow apps to remove classes. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/66).
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) Initialized font correctly in `WindowBuilder`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/67).
-[@FloVanGH](https://github.com/FloVanGH) Implemented `KeyPressed` and `KeyReleased` events. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/69).
-[@FloVanGH](https://github.com/FloVanGH) Fix bug when `x > 200` the entries of `Combobox` were not being drawn. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/70).
-[@FloVanGH](https://github.com/FloVanGH) Widget children tree part one / two. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbtk/pull/74).
## Orbutils
The Orbital Utilities. Compatible with Redox and SDL2.
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) Updated calendar and file_manager to use new CSS in Orbtk. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbutils/pull/38).
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) Fixed build with toolchain. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/orbutils/pull/39).
## Redoxfs
The Redox Filesystem.
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Enter null namespace for redoxfs. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/redoxfs/commit/78c5e1c6d26657eff9d7e97a979d4524f718ab63).
## Userutils
User and group management utilities.
-[@jackpot51](https://github.com/jackpot51) Fix bug causing ctrl-d to log in any user with su, Document su's logic, Return error code of shell from su. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/userutils/commit/02759b4a5a347726e6e81d4ee46a2ade86fd9e1e).
## Coreutils
The Redox coreutils.
-[@dabbydubby](https://github.com/dabbydubby) Updated the readme to show only included files. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/coreutils/pull/192).
## Extrautils
Extra utilities for Redox (and Unix systems).
-[@bmusin](https://github.com/bmusin) Remove unused `use` of `AsciiExt`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/extrautils/pull/33).
-[@bmusin](https://github.com/bmusin) Change `man` constant names to `MAN_PAGE`. Details [here](https://github.com/redox-os/extrautils/pull/34).
Since the list of contributors are growing too fast, we'll now only list the new contributors. This might change in the future.
Sorted in alphabetical order.
-[@Nopey](https://github.com/Nopey) 🎂
-[@dogHere](https://github.com/dogHere) 🎂
-[@bugabinga](https://github.com/bugabinga) 🎂
-[@bmusin](https://github.com/bmusin) 🎂
-[@wartman4404](https://github.com/wartman4404) 🎂
-[@biotty](https://github.com/biotty) 🎂
-[@gibfahn](https://github.com/gibfahn) 🎂
-[@blackle](https://github.com/blackle) 🎂
-[@its-suun](https://github.com/its-suun) 🎂
-[@spacingnix](https://github.com/spacingnix) 🎂
-[@aimof](https://github.com/aimof) 🎂
-[@zachlute](https://github.com/zachlute) 🎂
If I missed something, feel free to contact me [@goyox86](https://github.com/goyox86) or send a PR to [Redox website](https://github.com/redox-os/website).
