Hi !
Concerning the non-ability to revert from 2.4 to 2.2, if reiserfs is only
included in 2.5/2.6, then the problem will be the same when switching from
2.6 back to 2.4.
I think it may be raisonnable to prevent people to install reiserfs by default
without knowing that it's a fairly new feature, and that they will have
difficulties to revert to 2.2 kernel if so.
But if reiserfs is given as an addon patch, just like raid, people will think
it's still experimental and won't want to give it a try. How many people ask
regularly on the LKML about the place where they can get raid-0.90 from ?
I personnaly use reiserfs with RAID and NFSv3 on my NFS server, and I must say
it's a pain to allways apply patches by hand. Simply thinking that 2.2.16 fixes
some misses of my customized-2.2.15 remembers me that I'll need one full day
re-applying all my patches and verify they merge correctly (the current one
counts 28 patches after 2.2.14). I wouldn't even dare sending a bug report when
I have trouble because I know my kernel may be really messy. Of course it will
be easier to start from a 2.4 kernel, but if I don't find all I need in it, why
would I replace my working patched 2.2 for a potentially working patched 2.4 ?
IMHO, we should allow reiserfs to go into mainstream kernel, but warn users that
using it will prevent them from switching back to 2.2.
A good approach which may satisfy to Alan's fears about the need to switch back
would be to simply delay reiserfs integration to the day that reiserfs-3.6 is
ready for inclusion in 2.2 (Hans, Alan, are you ready for 2.2.1[67] ?).
Then, including it in the 2.2 and 2.4 will not be a problem any longer.
During this short time, 2.4 will have been partly tested, and quite a part of
the users needing to switch back to 2.2 will have done it or waited for a 2.4
update.
To finish, I will say that very older versions of reiserfs have corrupted my
data, and I have never blamed anyone for it. Moreover, I had received a very
quick assistance (<1 day) from Hans and Chris who provided me with patches
specific to my config while there have been longstanding reports for fs
corruption in other filesystems which took monthes to be found and patched, so
I clearly trust the reiserfs team and hope their great work will be worthy.
Just my 2 cents...
Willy Tarreau
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Jun 07 2000 - 21:00:23 EST