Don't forget that we're purportedly discussing LINUX, which is a major softwaree project, involving little in the way of FPGA/CPLD application.

Performance isn't a key parameter in determining what a given functional module of the OS is supposed to do, either. The essential research in designing LINUX, is in determining what has to be included in order to make the OS functional and complete and to meet its requirements, though I'm not sure what those requirements were, since they were not published.

After all, LINUX started out as a project for one, and, having turned out to be a good piece of work, grew as the success of the original work was recognized. When you're writing code for your own use/amusement, you take liberties that would be entirely inappropriate in commercial work. After all, it's YOUR work product, so YOU get to determine how it's to be done.

RE