<operating system> The GNU project's replacement for the
Unix kernel. The Hurd is a collection of servers that
run on the Mach microkernel to implement file systems,
network protocols, file access control, and other features
that are implemented by the Unix kernel or similar kernels
such as Linux. The GNU C Library provides the Unix
system call interface, and calls the Hurd for services it
can't provide itself.
The Hurd aims to establish a framework for shared development
and maintenance, allowing a broad range of users to share
projects without knowing much about the internal workings of
the system - projects that might never have been attempted
without freely available source, a well-designed interface,
and a multi-server-based design.
Currently there are free ports of the Mach kernel to the
Intel 80386 IBM PC, the DEC PMAX workstation, the
Luna 88k, with more in progress, including the Amiga and
DEC Alpha-3000 machines.
According to Thomas Bushnell, BSG, the primary architect of
the Hurd: 'Hurd' stands for 'Hird of Unix-Replacing Daemons'
and 'Hird' stands for 'Hurd of Interfaces Representing Depth'.
Possibly the first software to be named by a pair of mutually
recursive acronyms.
