[api]

I want a unikernel that runs as a process with no special privileges. Huge bonus points if its portable to many common operating systems.

Since recompilation is necessary anyway for unikernels, syscalls could be replaced by function calls or some other user mode thing instead of trapped. It would allow entire containers to run as processes. Not that interesting for cloud, but very interesting for distribution to endpoints or self-hostable apps.

[mwcampbell]

Honest question: How is this different from an ordinary program written in a portable language with minimal reliance on shared libraries?

[convolvatron]

like user mode linux?

[api]

Yes, but like portable UML. I've seen a few people try to port UML to other OSes but nothing is mature.