I know this about 2.2, which is one of the reasons I am struggling with the
2.2 version. We have kept our depenencies to a minimum on inode related
data structures and methods. We also know that the linux specific portions
are different, and have anticiapted this, and they are #ifdef's out. You
will note that about 95% of FENRIS is OS neutral, and we already have a
single code base between NT and Linux, so having one between Linux and other
Linux's isn't something that scares us, or that we don't already know about.
The 2.2 version is pretty ugly right now, which is why we have not put it up
yet. 2.0 seems to be what most commercial folks are still using and it's
very stable.
By the way, not to slam Linus or anything, but making the types of sweeping
changes that were made between 2.0 and 2.2 in the file system architecturaly
was unsound from an engineering perspective, although I do understand why it
needed to change, most commercial software companies would have never
allowed this to occur. The changes are what have broken Caldera's Netware
clients and server software, and they are still working on it and getting it
fixed.
Word of Advice -- these file system changes hurt Linux in the market because
they delayed the commercial Linux vendors from getting key services up and
running when customers needed them. In the future, we should not make such
sweeping changes wuthout making certain there is still a method to support
the old interfaces as well.
Jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: Alexander Viro <viro@math.psu.edu>
To: Jeff Merkey <jmerkey@timpanogas.com>
Cc: Steven N. Hirsch <shirsch@adelphia.net>; <linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: FENRIS (nwfs) 1.4.2 Source Code Available,
>
>
> On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Jeff Merkey wrote:
>
> > It builds as a standlaone module at present. After we get all the bugs
out
> > and all the features in, they we will start working on putting it into
the
> > stock kernels. At present, we are using OpenLinus 1.3 for all the
builds.
> > 2.2.X has a lot of problems still with the commercial linux releases,
and
>
> Jeff, if your filesystem is supposed to work with 2.0 you are in for a
> *BIG* work when you will port it to 2.2. Sorry, but It's Your Problem(tm).
> VFS changed big way and keeping the same codebase is next to impossible.
> Exactly because 2.0 was much dumber. If your design decisions are based on
> 2.0 - too bad, the thing will suck badly.
>
>
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