Re: [PATCH 3/4] inotify_user: add system call inotify_add_watch_at()

From: Jan Kara
Date: Mon Sep 18 2023 - 12:56:59 EST


On Mon 18-09-23 15:57:43, Max Kellermann wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 18, 2023 at 2:40 PM Jan Kara <jack@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Note that since kernel 5.13 you
> > don't need CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability for fanotify functionality that is
> > more-or-less equivalent to what inotify provides.
>
> Oh, I missed that change - I remember fanotify as being inaccessible
> for unprivileged processes, and fanotify being designed for things
> like virus scanners. Indeed I should migrate my code to fanotify.
>
> If fanotify has now become the designated successor of inotify, that
> should be hinted in the inotify manpage, and if inotify is effectively
> feature-frozen, maybe that should be an extra status in the
> MAINTAINERS file?

The manpage update is a good idea. I'm not sure about the MAINTAINERS
status - we do have 'Obsolete' but I'm reluctant to mark inotify as
obsolete as it's perfectly fine for existing users, we fully maintain it
and support it but we just don't want to extend the API anymore. Amir, what
are your thoughts on this?

Honza
--
Jan Kara <jack@xxxxxxxx>
SUSE Labs, CR