Messages in this thread | | | Date | Mon, 07 Jun 1999 18:08:35 -0700 | From | "H. Peter Anvin" <> | Subject | Re: Migrating to larger numbers |
| |
Richard Gooch wrote: > > > > devfs is based on a completely bogus idea: that a device driver is a > > kernel thing. *THIS* is the supreme fallacy, and a major pitfall for > > Linux today. devfs in fact helps perpetualize this problem, in large > > part by moving policy into the kernel that has no business being there. > > It's the DOS way of fixing things -- quick, dirty, and extremely > > short-sighted. > > Oh, come on! Of course a device driver belongs in the kernel. We're > not a microkernel, you know.
You have the completely wrong idea what a device driver is! XF86_SVGA is a device driver! gpm is a device driver (mouse driver.) magicfilter/ghostscript is a device driver (printer driver.) Neither belong in the kernel.
Things belong in the kernel if they *have* to be there. Not otherwise. This implies the need for a coherent, *USER SPACE*, setup for managing devices. Bootup devices are somewhat a special case, of course, but that doesn't change the fundamentals.
> Anyway, you talk about this major pitfall which is a problem. *What* > is this "problem"?
The whole design philosophy behind this. "Throw all the crap in the kernel, it's the easy solution."
-hpa
-- "The user's computer downloads the ActiveX code and simulates a 'Blue Screen' crash, a generally benign event most users are familiar with and that would not necessarily arouse suspicions." -- Security exploit description on http://www.zks.net/p3/how.asp
- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
| |