Re: PUBLIC CHALLENGE: (was RE: devfs again, (was RE: USB device a

Stephen Frost (sfrost@ns.snowman.net)
Sun, 10 Oct 1999 07:47:10 -0400 (EDT)


On 9 Oct 1999, david parsons wrote:

> >I like the /proc/devices idea. It's relatively simple.
>
> But it's not as versatile as a real devfs is, and I don't see that
> stripping functionality out of a devfs (without any benefit over
> the real thing; you still have to write the filesystem glue, plus
> you still need to tweak all the appropriate-level drivers to populate
> the filesystem) _just to prevent people from mounting it on /dev_
> is anything other than a political instead of a technical decision.

Err, no, /proc/devices isn't a filesystem, it's a FILE. The idea
being it's a list of major,minor's that are in the system, or perhaps
something like:
+8,0
+8,1
+8,2
+8,4
-8,1
+8,3
Where a proggie can then read the file and determine what is
currently in the system, and by watching the file can see what devices are
added/removed. NOTE: This is just a random thought on the layout, it prolly
has lots of problems so don't think I'm suggesting it as a permanent
solution.
At least, this is my understand of the current thoughts going around
on this...

Stephen

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