Re: Linux 2.4-test9 kernel header flaw

From: H. Peter Anvin (hpa@transmeta.com)
Date: Sat Sep 30 2000 - 13:42:42 EST


Jeff Garzik wrote:
>
> On 29 Sep 2000, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> > Followup to: <20000929014109.A15021@veritas.com>
> > By author: Andries Brouwer <aeb@veritas.com>
> > In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
> > >
> > > On Thu, Sep 28, 2000 at 03:41:41PM -0700, Jack Howarth wrote:
> > >
> > > > I find that the compile of gnome-utils fails as follows...
> > > >
> > > > In file included from /usr/include/linux/string.h:21,
> > > > from /usr/include/linux/fs.h:23,
> > > > from badblocks.c:43:
> > >
> > > Yes, a well-known phenomenon.
> > > Kernel headers are to compile the kernel.
> > > They are not for inclusion in user programs.
> > >
> >
> > It really doesn't work in practice. There are enough things that
> > really need it.
> >
> > We really need #ifdef __KERNEL__ (or is that #ifdef _LINUX now?) in
> > the appropriate places.
>
> For specific driver ioctl interfaces and such, I agree...
>
> But gnome-utils? I don't think userspace needs to be looking at our
> fs.h, string.h, etc.
>

It sounds like what's collapsing is badblocks, which probably uses ioctl
interfaces.

The main problem tends to be linux/fs.h, which is a huge file, some of
which is indeed needed by userspace. It perpetually causes problems
because someone included something non-userspace-safe in this file.

        -hpa

-- 
<hpa@transmeta.com> at work, <hpa@zytor.com> in private!
"Unix gives you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot."
http://www.zytor.com/~hpa/puzzle.txt
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