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SubjectRe: devfs again, (was RE: USB device allocation)
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Shawn Leas <SLEAS@videoupdate.com> said:
> From: Martin Dalecki [mailto:dalecki@cs.net.pl]

> >Don't you just realize that all the twised symlinc blah blah proposals
> >about devfs you are doing here are a sure sign of a basically bad
> >design? If you don't beleve then just try to explain this all to a
> >fresh new linux user.

> This makes me laugh most of all...

Yes. Just do it the RedHat way: Install, and be done with it. No need to
tell any newbie about /dev. Works 99% of the time (field tested around
here). For the not-so-newbie, tell them that /dev contains files that
represent devices, and that they can be handled with the same tools she
knows for regular files, if a bit of care is excercised.

> Here's how I'd do it...
>
> ME: "Hey, Joe Newby, I have a Linux box patched up with something called
> devfs that will keep track of all your devices and you never need to know
> anything about /dev/* and how to mknod new device nodes. But, if someday you
> want to, it allows total flexibility."
>
> NEWBY: AWESOME!

Now you tell him that he can't find out what the name of a disk is if it
isn't on line. And explain carefully how to manage the symlink farm in
/devices, so /dev can stay squeaky clean. Give step by step instructions on
patching the kernel to change permissions on the modem, and how to build
and install the new kernel, and rebooting into it, so his kid sister
doesn't stay online all day (phone is charged by the minute here). Don't
forget to mention that it might come handy having several kernels around
with different permissions on devices, just in case. Also, tell him how to
clone a device for the case /dev/sdc is allowed for everybody (happens to
be the removable Zip disk), while /dev/sda isn't (the main drive).

If/when he digests all this, prepare for the question about how to
recompile the kernel so his $HOME is closed to outsiders, and how to
reconfigure the kernel for some new user.

> ME: "Hey, wouldn't you want to have to create a new device for every USB
> mouse/keyboard/PCMCIA device you use every time you use it with no gaurantee
> you're going to get it right?"

Ever heard of MAKEDEV?

All this is just changing one mess (/dev) for another mess of the very same
size (symlink farm), only much worse.
--
Dr. Horst H. von Brand mailto:vonbrand@inf.utfsm.cl
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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