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SubjectRe: [2.6 patch] make UNIX a bool
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On Mar 3, 2006, at 16:31:51, James C. Georgas wrote:
> On Thu, 2006-02-03 at 23:32 -0500, Kyle Moffett wrote:
>> af_unix (IE: CONFIG_UNIX) currently uses the symbol
>> get_max_files. It is the only module that uses that symbol, and
>> that symbol probably should not be exported as it's kind of an
>> internal API. Therefore if we mandate that CONFIG_UNIX != m, then
>> that symbol may be properly unexported and made private, because
>> nothing modular would use it. Does that clear things up?
>
> Yes, I think I understand.
>
> However, even if you don't export the symbol, I don't see how you
> can make it private (i.e. static declaration) to file_table.c,
> since it has to remain extern, in order to be visible to af_unix.c.

You're missing some crucial information about how Linux operates.
EXPORT_SYMBOL != extern. Basically, Linux maintains a list of
symbols that dynamically loaded modules are allowed to use, along
with some technical usage restrictions on each (Symbols exported
with EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL may only be used by modules that declare
'MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");'.) Exporting a symbol increases the
likliehood that some module author will use it inappropriately, and
bloats the kernel. In this case, removing the EXPORT_SYMBOL() would
be a good thing.

Cheers,
Kyle Moffett

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