Null

The Null object is the target of revoked keys. It refuses all IPC with exceptions.

There is one Null object, created by the kernel during boot. It cannot be duplicated or destroyed. This is the main difference between the Null object and Slot.

Message Elision Rule

Messages to Null inside the kernel may be elided. Because a message to Null has no observable effect, message elision is not directly observable except in terms of timing.

This does not apply to message sends initiated by programs inhabiting Contexts, only sends originating inside the kernel that do not carry reply keys, specifically:

• Messages generated by Interrupt objects.
• The reply transmitted by any kernel object in response to a method invocaiton.

In either of these cases:

• If a kernel object is preparing to send a message to key K, and
• It discovers that K refers to the Null Object,
• It may discard the message without sending.

Branding

Null key brands are ignored.

Methods

None.