Messages in this thread |  | | | Date | Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:27:03 -0800 | | From | "H. Peter Anvin" <> | | Subject | Re: Linux 3.3-rc4 |
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On 02/20/2012 09:21 PM, Linus Torvalds wrote: > On Mon, Feb 20, 2012 at 9:06 PM, Linus Torvalds > <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> wrote: >> >> So it really is limited to only x86. > > Oh, and if people really are using "uname()" to figure out that they > are running a 64-bit kernel, then we should probably make uname() use > "is_compat_task()" instead of checking the PER_LINUX32 personality. > > So we already do have support for returning a different machine-name > to 32-bit binaries, but it uses the "personality" thing that nobody > cares about, rather than the compat layer. Looks like purely > historical reasons. >
No, it serves a real function. I use both directions of this to deal with various compatibility things. PER_LINUX32 lets you run, say, an installer as if it was on a 32-bit program, even if it is written in a scripting language (and hence running a native 64-bit interpreter). Similarly, a 32-bit legacy binary can still function as part of a bigger 64-bit system.
So let's not change that just because someone did something idiotic.
-hpa
-- H. Peter Anvin, Intel Open Source Technology Center I work for Intel. I don't speak on their behalf.
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