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The graphic stack in NT is done in a microkernel fashion, it runs in kernel space but doesn't (generally) crash the whole OS in case of bugs.

There are a few interviews of Dave Cutler (NT's architect) around where he explains this far better than I am here.

Overall, you have classic needs and if you don't care about OSS (either for auditability, for customizability or for philosophical choice about open source), it's a workable option with its strength and weaknesses, just like the Linux kernel.



Parts of the kernel can be made more resilient against failures, but that won't make it a microkernel. It'll still run in a shared address space without hardware isolation. It's just not possible to get the benefits of microkernels without actually making it one.

Also Linux being OSS can't be dismissed because it means it'll have features that Microsoft isn't interested in for Windows.




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