Apart from the /proc/<nonsense> files, it doesn't break anything.
And below, you claim that they are for human consumption, so it doesn't
matter too much if you move them (it breaks humans, but that's OK).
Also it brings all the kernel-generated file-systems (currently /dev/fd
and /proc but maybe later /devices) in a single hierarchy.
> Not binary! This is something I really do object to.
I know people love their good old text, ASCII if possible, so you can be sure
it's only readable conveniently by humans who can understand english.
Why in the world is 'cat /proc/cpuinfo' better than 'bin2text /proc/cpuinfo' ?
All that text-printing stuff has nothing to do in the kernel anyway.
> The whole point of /proc is to provide system/process info in a human
> readable format.
I admit that I love command-lines, but do you really believe that the
text-output of /proc files corresponds to current computer systems with
1600x1200x16bits screens (as far as I'm concerned) and current computer users
who like Netscape more than trn to read their news ?
The user deserves much better. And better is possible by reading those files
and processing the info into something pretty with bargraphs and whathaveyou,
but this requires a program inbetween the user and the file, at which point the
text-form is more of a hassle (in the kernel as well as in the program that has
to parse it).
> I also think the complications of mixing text and binary in an intelligent
> manner will cause either unnecissary complexity, or eliminate any advantages
> as far as simplicity for userland programs.
What is the complication of mixing text and binary ? Where did you see that
text and binary should be mixed in the /system/info files ?
Stefan