Messages in this thread | | | From | david parsons <> | Subject | Re: [RFC] change in /proc/devices | Date | Thu, 27 Jan 2000 03:14:48 -0800 (PST) |
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Alexander Viro wrote: > > > > On Thu, 27 Jan 2000, david parsons wrote: > > > I'd prefer a postfix notation that separates out major and minor > > numbers, like so: > > > > hda 03 00-39 > > hdb 03 40-79 > > hde 21 00-39 > > hdf 21 00-40 > > sda 08 00-09 > > Erm... It was in hex ;-)
hda b 03 00-3f hdb b 03 40-7f
Happy? ;-)
> > Because that would explicitly show the major and minors, instead > > of having to rely on hidden magic to partition the majorspace. > > Argh... I'ld _really_ like to get rid of major/minor stuff wherever > possible. Besides, says who that we will not get a driver for terabyte > hardware raid where one can expect more than 256 partitions?
Nothing. That's the advantage of separating out the major and minor numbers -- if you explicitly list the major and minor numbers, userland apps don't have to know how wide a major is to do something with it.
0300[40] means that I have to know that a major is the first 8 bits. 03 00-3f means that I need to know the major is the first field, and that the minors run from 0 to 3f. This is MUCH better for userland, because that's one less stupid detail that apps have to remember.
> > And, actually, while I'm dreaming, I'd love to have it be:
> > device type major minors > > hda b 03 00-39 > > hdb b 03 40-79 > > hde b 21 00-39 > > hdf b 21 00-40 > > sda b 08 00-09
> Maybe, but I'ld rather keep character ones away from that. If we will > start touching them (and you will be the first to cry bloody murder) I'ld > prefer to keep them in a separate file.
They're not in a separate file right now, and putting them into the same file reduces the rooting around.
> > ____ > > david parsons \bi/ It's not a devfs, but this is a format I can do > > \/ something with either in userspace or in a lkm. > > In lkm you will be able to do much better - another question being what > would you do with the results...
Need you ask? If I wrote a lkm, I'd have it export this information as a filesystem so I could mount it on /dev like G-d himself intended, and then I could maybe wedge a 2.4 kernel onto a Mastodon boot floppy [*].
> ObBletch: All this stuff bears some uncanny resemblance to > IP-space-dries-up fights. I just hope that we will not end up with an > analog of NetSol<spit> on hands...
HPA as SAIC and Linus as the Department of Defense?
The mind, it boggles.
____ david parsons \bi/ [* Anybody know of a good way to trim 300k from a \/ 2.3.x zImage? ]
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