Messages in this thread |  | | From | lilo <> | Date | Sun, 19 May 1996 09:51:38 -0500 (CDT) | Subject | Re: Kerneld and java, applets, GIF, PostScript and whatever... |
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Linus,
Does this make sense, or am I totally off-base?
On Sat, 18 May 1996, Richard Guenther wrote:
> On Sat, 18 May 1996, Bjorn Ekwall wrote: > > > Hi all! > > > > Here is support for a "generic" interpreter, via kerneld! > > (Would you expect anything but a kerneld solution from me? :-) ) > > > > This is the right and only way to do this! > (Linus: take out binfmt_java before 2.0 -- please!!!)
In line with Linus' comment (and mine, ooooh, I was actually sort of on the side of the Great One this time 8) 8) 8) I think this approach has the problem of transferring `kernel bloat' to `kernel-extension-bloat-hidden- in-user-space<tm>' or, as we call it, kebhius.... (well, I thought it was time to invent a term....lowercase it and pronounce it something like `kevius').... :)
Still though, some of us like the idea of flexible executable formats that can be added to Linux at a moment's notice to Confound The Enemies of the One True Operating System<tm>. :) I'd suggest that the kernel module could get a bit larger and use a file in /proc/sys into which the administrator can write a line containing the following values for each extension binary format:
(1) a magic string to check for, (2) a path to exec in order to run the binary, (3) optional flags which indicate things like whether suid and sgid bits should be honored for this format
This has the advantages that:
(1) it keeps the criteria for extension binary execution in the kernel, where executable formats are normally selected now, (2) it keeps more hard-coded paths out of the kernel, which a lot of us consider a positive good, (3) it results in fewer interactions between kernel and user space; there is no daemon, and invalid executable formats don't especially need a transfer to user space to produce an error message unless the admin has a clearly-documented (and hence easier to debug) masochistic streak, and (4) it preserves the flexibility of configurable extension executable formats without adding Yet Another Daemon<tm>....
Comments? Flames? Free popcorn? :)
lilo
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