Date: Mon, 01 Dec 1997 14:00:10 +1030 From: Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> To: jak@cetlink.net (John Kelly) Cc: Julian Elischer <julian@whistle.com>, hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Stackable storage Alpha release Message-ID: <199712010330.OAA00602@word.smith.net.au> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sun, 30 Nov 1997 20:03:30 GMT." <3481bc1a.18545261@mail.cetlink.net>
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> >One of the things that I really didn't like about UNiX when I first > >started using it was the 'disconnection' between the contents of /dev and > >reality. To this end I have been working in the background on DEVFS. A > >device filesystem which allows (in fact requires) the device drivers to > >keep the exported picture of available devices in sync with what is > >actually attached. > > Being relatively new, I don't know much about DEVFS. Can you explain > the advantages of the above? In the current model, device nodes are entities on the disk. If you add a new driver, you have to add new device nodes manually (hello MAKEDEV). With DEVFS, the process whereby a driver attaches a device automatically creates the relevant node(s). This is a big win for dynamic hardware (PCCARDs, removable disk media, etc.) mike
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