Some examples:
1. ext2compr, Undelete Tools, KGI,... are patches.
User must rebulid his kernel to install them.
Linus must spend his time to think about these patches.
Developers do not write cool features
(patches are hard to distribute and require coordination
with other patches)
Such patches MUST be distributed as modules.
2. See 'albods', 'forks' & related discussion.
Too long discussion for one open() flag.
It would be cool to write a little module and see :-)
3. See winfiles.com, download.com, etc.
A lot of virtual drivers: CD-ROM cache, HDD encryption,
web acceleration, ...
Most of these features can not be in full volume
implemented in Linux without the evil patching the kernel.
While we spend time rewritting patches, M$ distributes drivers :-(.
I think, the lack of extensibility is a MOST important weakness of Linux
kernel.
We need to fix this problem. Do you agree?
And now my proposal:
1. All critical kernel structures must be isolated.
They must not be accessed directly from other kernel parts.
2. We must be ready to move the drivers to Ring1 and Ring2
when hardware (Merced?) will be acceptable quick for this.
3. New drivers must have rights to register new services (syscalls?)
4. New drivers must have an interface to be transparently intercepted.
Best regards.
Alexander.
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/