Microsoft Still Develops Midori, a Non-Windows-Based Operating System

Microsoft has recently released Windows 8 and reports are claiming that the company is already working on Windows 9, but references to a different operating system have reached the web today.

Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet writes  that Microsoft is currently working on Midori, a non-Windows-based operating system that’s very likely to receive the green light at some point. The project has been the task of some very high-profile Microsoft programmers, but some of them have already left the team for other opportunities. While information on the new operating system is pretty scarce at this point, it seems that Midori won’t be based on the existing NT kernel, but instead it will heavily rely on Singularity, the microkernel operating system project started by Microsoft Research in 2003. Basically, Singularity’s ace up its sleeve was the fact that absolutely all apps, drivers and the kernel itself were written in managed code. One of the proofs that Microsoft is now working on Midori is a job opening for a software architect that should “lead development of a safe concurrent programming model.”

Here’s what the description of the job looks like:

“The Technical Strategy Incubation team is looking for a senior software architect to lead development of our safe concurrent programming model. This programming model is a core component of a new, novel operating system, 99% of which is written in type- and memory-safe C#. A core principle we add to managed code is that 1st class, statically enforced concurrency-safety must become a peer of type- and memory-safety.” Just as always, Microsoft remains tight-lipped on such a project, so we can’t tell for sure whether all these details are indeed accurate. We’ve contacted Microsoft for an official statement, so we’ll get back to you very soon.

Still, as far as Microsoft’s project goes, expect this to be one of the “innovative” technologies the company plans to build as a devices and services firm. Don’t be too surprised if it gets the green light in one year or so.

The Midori project could get the green light in a couple of years
Image credits to svas.com

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