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Messages
A message is composed of a parameter word (commonly interpreted either as an order or method code, or return code), a string of from 0 to 4096 bytes called the byte string, and four keys.
A domain may compose a message from an integer, from contiguous data in its address segment, and from keys it holds.
The message is delivered to an object designated by a key that is held and indicated by the invoking domain.
A particular value for the parameter word in conjunction with a particular kind of key is called an order on that key.
The microkernel does not buffer messages.
Invocation of a gate key is deferred until the recipient domain is ready to accept the message.
Message buffering can be implemented transparently by domain code if needed.
We choose not to make the microkernel responsible for holding message data, which potentially could be held forever.
Gate keys, when invoked, deliver the message to another domain.
A gate key is the authority to send a message to the designated domain.
Messages sent via a gate key are delivered to the receiving domain in a way controlled by the receiving domain’s program.
The program may choose to accept the keys from the message, whereupon its domain will then hold those keys.
It may choose to accept the parameter word and all or part of the byte string.
The keys and data from the message can then be interpreted according to the logic of the receiving domain’s program.
The sending and receiving of the message causes the data and keys to be copied from the domain of the sender to the domain of the receiver.
Like an event, a message never persists: it is consumed the same instant it is created.
In this respect KeyKOS messages are like Smalltalk [8] messages.
Invocation of keys which are not gate keys delivers the message to the microkernel which immediately returns a message in response, according to the logic of some microkernel-implemented object designated by the key.
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