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    SubjectRe: file as a directory
    On Wed, 24 Nov 2004 11:32:13 +0100, Helge Hafting <helge.hafting@hist.no> wrote:
    > Amit Gud wrote:
    >
    >
    >
    > >On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 16:04:28 +0100, Helge Hafting <helge.hafting@hist.no> wrote:
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >>You won't get .tar or .tar.gz support in the VFS, for a few simple reasons:
    > >>1. .tar and .tar.gz are complicated formats, and are therefore better
    > >> left to userland.
    > >>
    > >>
    > >
    > >Agreed that .tar.gz is a complicated format, but zlib is already in
    > >the kernel. It _should_ simplify inflate and deflate of files. And as
    > >compared to .gz format, .tar is much simpler, I guess.
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >> It is hard to make a guaranteed bug-free decompressor that
    > >> is efficient and works with a finite amount of memory. The kernel
    > >> needs all that - userland doesn't.
    > >>
    > >>
    > >
    > >I think, finite amount of memory is the concern of worry, not the rest
    > >... if we could rely on zlib.
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >>2. Both .tar and .gz file formats may improve with time. Getting a new
    > >> version of tar og gunzip is easy enough - getting another compression
    > >> algorithm into the kernel won't be that easy.
    > >>
    > >>
    > >
    > >Doesn't zlib in the kernel gets updated as the formats change? If not,
    > >.tar formats would be worth trying first as proof of concept.
    > >
    > This is not so easy, as you have to audit the new version for
    > correctness. It is not the end of the world if tar or gzip
    > occationally crashes on some corner case. The kernel
    > must not do that though.
    >

    Yes, thats what I said in my last post...if the archive looks improper
    forget it.

    > And then there is the much more complicated issues when
    > writing into such an archive. You skipped that part, or
    > are you looking for a read-only solution only?
    >

    I'm coming up with something soon, along with the proof of
    concept....to wrap up all scenarios....need some time ;)

    AG
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