Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote in message
news:<fa.h09h36v.1a1sro5@ifi.uio.no>...
> Is there any possibility of making Linux handle file systems on
> floppies like MSDOS, so that there is no need to explicitly mount and
> unmount a floppy drive in order to access floppies through the file
> system?
In discussing this problem, several people had possible solutions which were
all shot down with a similar counterargument: the kernel can't assume that
the user who is using the floppy drive is at the console. Apparently,
Windows can automount floppies in part because it makes the assumption that
there is only one user on the machine--an assumption which Unices by design
can't make.
I completely agree that the standard Linux kernel could never assume that
only a single user is logged in. But I don't think we should completely
disregard patches which require this assumption. There are quite a few
desktop-workstation users who wouldn't mind gaining a usability advantage in
exchange for losing some multiuser functionality.
And if a user is going to apply a patch which makes that assumption in one
place, he might as well go full-out and run a kernel which assumes that
*everywhere*. Are there other places in the kernel where we could gain in
usability (or speed) by assuming that only a single user is logged in,
directly at the console?
I imagine that this is an issue which won't be met with much enthusiasm by
many kernel hackers, because they're not the sort of users who would want a
patch which essentially lobotomizes the kernel. I think that in the general
case, a multi-user Unix OS is vastly superior to a single-user Microsoft OS.
But in pursuing world domination, GNU/Linux is going to have to appeal to
people who would rather have their floppy drive automounted than be able to
run their system remotely.
If anyone can think of other problems and potential solutions which have
been rejected because the kernel can't assume just one user is logged in,
please let me know.
chris
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 23 2000 - 21:00:17 EST