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SubjectRe: Out of ptys??
Reply to mail from david parsons about Out of ptys??
-----------------
> s/changed/extended/
> If you extended the interface (either (a) adding majors 2 and 3,
> which was done, or (b) using a devfs instead, which is a much much
> better solution) you deal with that problem in a way that doesn't
> promiscuously break old code.

devfs is certainly good. Dropping support for the old major was stated a
long long time ago, back when linux was still fairly new. When you're
building an API, and your approach is still fairly new, you certainly
change the API. I don't know of many people that design a perfect API the
first time it is written.

That old code should have taken note from the long standing documentation
that support for that -would- be removed. iirc, the dropping of that
major was first intended to happen with 2.0. It remained around however
and is only just now getting dropped.

> Supporting `legacy'[1] interfaces is a developer's dream, as well as
> a users dream, because you write to the interface once and don't have
> to worry about it from there on in. And the major/minor code stuff
> is a particularly bad blotch in the published interface, because this
> is Yet Another Case where the major/minor assignments are hidden
> inside the kernel with no easy programmatic way of getting them out.

I would not dream of being sloppy and writing version after version
consuming major after major, etc. over time. I expire old software no
matter what part of the package it is.

The linux kernel is still very new and it isn't easy for such a fast
growing piece of software to planned for the next XX years. Particularly
in it's infancy.

Redoing how it is done is best. It keeps things clean and neat, and best
of all, not bloated.

> ____
> david parsons \bi/ "frequently updating your kernel? Where did you
> \/ get THAT from?"

linux-kernel? ;)

enjoy your day,
-d
--
Look, look, see Windows 98. Buy, lemmings, buy!
(c) 1998 David Ford. Redistribution via the Microsoft Network is prohibited.
for linux-kernel: please read linux/Documentation/* before posting problems


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