Maddie wrote:
• most user programs will be scripts that call these interface programs to do stuff, although the interface programs can be called from the shell or through system calls
I love this part! I'd say the more you can put in scripts, the better. I used Plan 9 & 9front for years, wrote many scripts and script wrappers, but when I couldn't do something without modifying the C code, I was often totally stumped. I couldn't follow those geniuses code.
Another thing I learned from Plan 9 is you can have a scripting language with a syntax which is both simpler and more powerful than Bourne shell. It's called rc. I found it much easier to learn than Bourne shell, and its native lists are a Good Thing. On the negative side, it has very little built in and I got tired of piping data through the various shell utilities; they're all different languages and you often have to watch your word separators on both ends of the pipe. I would have very much liked a somewhat more complete scripting language, but not too complete. Languages like Python have got too serious; they're not so much fun any more. Anyway, here's a
rc man page. (The bi-directional pipes are specific to Plan 9, if I remember right.)
Not commenting on the other points because it's been months since I thought about those systems. I've forgotten stuff. I set my sights very low and then my health quashed even those hopes. I've got hopes regarding my health though.