SOFTWARE that tests critical code before allowing it to run could make personal computers almost entirely crash-proof. Known as Nooks, the software has dramatically improved the stability of the Linux operating system and its inventors say it could be adapted for Windows.
Most operating systems have at their core a component known as the kernel, which manages communication between the software and the underlying hardware such as the processor and memory. When extra hardware, such as a printer or scanner, is connected to the computer a software driver is needed to translate messages between the new device and the kernel.…
