Re: The argument for fs assistance in handling archives

[Horst von Brand]

David Masover <ninja@xxxxxxxxxxxx> said:
> Chris Dukes wrote:
> | On Thu, Sep 02, 2004 at 08:28:20PM -0500, David Masover wrote:
> |
> |>So implement a plugin which knows how to talk to a userland program
> |>which knows about metadata.  The plugin controls access to file-type.
> |>
> |>Maybe there ought to be a general-purpose userland plugin interface?  So
> |>that the only things left in the kernel are things that have to be there
> |>for speed and/or sanity reasons?  (Things like cryptocompress and
> |>standard file/directory plugins.)
> |
> |
> | Ahem,
> | Wasn't this the goal of GNU HURD?

> The goal of GNU HURD was to take everything out of the kernel and make
> it entirely daemons.  That's a far cry from keeping a file-type database
> (historically the realm of file managers) out of the kernel.

Yep. Traditional microkernel.

[...]

> | I really think you should ask them why they haven't delivered
> | something useful, then come back to this thread.

> Honestly?  I think it's mostly got nothing to do with architecture.  I
> think it's mostly got to do with politics.  Most people would rather
> hack on Linux, which is already done, than try to develop HURD, which is
> something new.  Most people also enjoy working with Linus (or prefer
> Linus to the FSF).

Partly right. Hurd is _much_ older than Linux, and didn't start from
scratch (Mach was around, and worked). Yet I remember hearing "any day now"
for Hurd from 86 or 87... and as of now, AFAIU even the people hacking on
Hurd prefer Linux (because Linux does work, Hurd doesn't).

> I do not like how Linux is monolithic.  I do not like having to reboot
> to upgrade the kernel,

Tough luck. An upgrade of the core will _always_ mean rebooting. Plus you
can replace modules in Linux without a reboot.

>                        and I do not like having to run closed software
> (the nvidia drivers) in the kernel (as in, full privelages, can crash
> entire system, yadda yadda).

Me neither. But that is not exactly Linux' fault, binary drivers are quite
strongly discouraged.

>                               But Linux is the best we have.

By far.

> The HURD people have delivered at least something.  I think there's even
> a Debian/HURD distro.  Whether it's useful probably has to do with
> whether it's stable/fast, which isn't likely.  You hear of Linux news
> every day, you hear of HURD maybe once in a lifetime -- "Hey, HURD
> exists!"

It is still vaporware, some 20 years later.
-- 
Dr. Horst H. von Brand                   User #22616 counter.li.org
Departamento de Informatica                     Fono: +56 32 654431
Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria              +56 32 654239
Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso, Chile                Fax:  +56 32 797513
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