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SubjectRe: Kernel interface changes (was Re: cdrecord problems on
Date
Followup to:  <Pine.LNX.3.95.990205152900.606K-100000@penguin.transmeta.com>
By author: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@transmeta.com>
In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
>
> On Fri, 5 Feb 1999, Brandon S. Allbery KF8NH wrote:
> >
> > I REPEAT: AFS IS NON-NEGOTIABLE HERE.
>
> I repeat: _I_ don't care.
>

Let me do a translation of what I think everyone is saying here:

* The Linux module interface is designed to minimize overhead. That
means raw linkage into the kernel, which means when the kernel
changes, so does the module interface.

* A stable ABI requires some kind of layering to isolate it from
changes to the kernel code (otherwise the kernel would be
effectively barred from any improvements.)

* NT does such layering for everything, which is part of why its
performance sucks so badly.

* Linux will not do such layering for everything. However, there is
no reason why one can't build a layered ABI adapter (effectively an
ABI to API converter) on top of Linux. This implies some
performance cost, but will allow binary modules to work more or less
indefinitely, barring huge changes to the kernel internals.

* Linus Torvalds has no interest whatsoever in developing such a
plug-in ABI. Someone else is welcome to do it.

-hpa
--
"Linux is a very complete and sophisticated operating system. There
are, and will be, large numbers of applications available for it."
-- Paul Maritz, Group Vice President for Platforms And Applications,
Microsoft Corporation [Reference at: http://www.kernel.org/~hpa/ms.html]

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