Messages in this thread | | | From | "Jeff Merkey" <> | Subject | Re: FENRIS (nwfs) 1.4.2 Source Code Available, | Date | Tue, 22 Jun 1999 12:51:40 -0600 |
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Alan,
I think all things being equal, linux today is **GREAT** technology. Yes, it did break Caldera's Netware stuff (It's still busted, I have to do a lot of work on 2.0.35 then move it to a 2.2.9 box to test). I also think alot of the work being done with the Page Cache is totally **KICK ASS**. I'm just saying we should try to assess the impact on the commercial Linux vendors, and try to give them adequate warning, but progress also has a price and I agree it's difficult tightrope to walk.
After all, you cannot make an omlette without breaking a few eggs.
Jeff
----- Original Message ----- From: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk> To: Jeff Merkey <jmerkey@timpanogas.com> Cc: <viro@math.psu.edu>; <shirsch@adelphia.net>; <linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu>; <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>; <torvalds@transmeta.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 12:46 PM Subject: Re: FENRIS (nwfs) 1.4.2 Source Code Available,
> > changes that were made between 2.0 and 2.2 in the file system architecturaly > > was unsound from an engineering perspective, although I do understand why it > > needed to change, most commercial software companies would have never > > allowed this to occur. The changes are what have broken Caldera's Netware > > clients.. > > Thats the difference between dying of legacy support and good efficient code. > And yes it is a difficult tightrope to walk. Im suprised it broke netware > so badly. The free netware client was updated very easily and speedily. > > > running when customers needed them. In the future, we should not make such > > sweeping changes wuthout making certain there is still a method to support > > the old interfaces as well. > > That can be hard. How would you efficiently hide the new page cache for example. > > The other thing is that the model is very different. A good example here is > the 3c501 driver. I don't use 3c501 cards any more. Linux 2.2 works with the > 3c501 because the code was part of the free software tree people who are > afflicted with them sent me the patches needed. > > Similarly when other stuff breaks the person who breaks it generally is > expected to fix most of the other drivers. > > The dentries stuff was probably the hardest change to deal with though. Its > not a simple proceedure to quickly fix up code without understanding the > problem, which reduces the number of users who fix it. (and yes I do get > patches from people that start 'I don't know C, but xyz wouldnt compile > in the new 2.1.x release so I copied the change from this similar looking > thing and now it works'.) > > I don't claim we have the model right, but the rules are definitely different > > Alan > >
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