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Date:      Mon, 29 Jan 2024 11:27:05 +0100
From:      Olivier Certner <olce@freebsd.org>
To:        Mark Millard <marklmi@yahoo.com>
Cc:        Current FreeBSD <freebsd-current@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: noatime on ufs2
Message-ID:  <10218883.mV2X7mr0Zk@ravel>
In-Reply-To: <74B030A5-6141-4FE2-AE8C-79548B82FAF0@yahoo.com>
References:  <F5D2BD92-5AC3-4B1E-8B47-A1F13D9FC677.ref@yahoo.com> <12921270.kl7XSLc1hW@ravel> <74B030A5-6141-4FE2-AE8C-79548B82FAF0@yahoo.com>

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From: Olivier Certner <olce@freebsd.org>
To: Mark Millard <marklmi@yahoo.com>
Cc: Current FreeBSD <freebsd-current@freebsd.org>
Subject: Re: noatime on ufs2
Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2024 11:27:05 +0100
Message-ID: <10218883.mV2X7mr0Zk@ravel>
In-Reply-To: <74B030A5-6141-4FE2-AE8C-79548B82FAF0@yahoo.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0

Hi Mark,

> I'm confused: I go to the trouble to produce the same end result
> as your suggested change of defaults would produce, ending up
> with no recording of access times.

That's nice of you, but unfortunately that's missing the point.  First, you=
 claimed to "seriously care" about access time, so I simply asked about you=
r use cases, which you have not talked about.  Second, your suggestions do =
not (in fact, cannot) produce the same end result as what I'm suggesting (c=
hange of default, or have a sysctl to control the default).  I've already l=
isted three use cases in an answer to Warner that can't be covered by modif=
ying '/etc/fstab', and two of them that can't by just specifying mount opti=
ons to mount(8) on the command-line (the auto-mounters).=20

> My focus was on things like mount command notation and
> /etc/fstab notation (that tracks mount defaults) or subroutine
> interface equivalents of such things and changing their
> behavior without requiring changing the notation already in
> place in various files.

> Nothing about that of itself
> implies that I'd want the defaults for mount notation or /etc/fstab
> notation or the like changed --or that I'd want them unchanged.
> To narrow of a context for such a judgment about defaults.

These two paragraphs seem to contradict themselves.  If you've gone to the =
trouble mentioned above, wasn't it precisely to avoid changing the defaults=
?  Because changing them implies that the exact same mount(8) command-line =
or line in '/etc/fstab' will have a different effect if 'atime' nor 'noatim=
e' aren't explicitly specified.  This is a goal, not an unwanted side effec=
t.

> In case the potential confusion is involved

I'm wondering if you might be confusing default options per mount (as a lin=
e in '/etc/fstab') and system defaults applying to all mounts.  By design, =
the former can't apply to mounts not handled by '/etc/fstab'.  The latter a=
pplies in any situation, barring explicit specifications by the administrat=
or (or delegated software), which is why it belongs to the kernel (it has t=
o apply to the relevant system calls).

> (I've tried to word the above without making new points,
> avoiding contributing more to the bike shed material.)

Bike shedding has become so popular in these circles that some people see b=
ike shedding where there is none, and/or use it as a tactic to try to disqu=
alify what others are saying.  The initial bike shedding email was about a =
simple, obvious change to sleep(1) that prompted a flame war lasting weeks,=
 with unfriendly fire from the project's people, sometimes from the old tim=
ers.  We haven't had much of that so far, except perhaps for a few mildly a=
ggressive or emotional emails, and the thread was active for only 10 days. =
 It was then paused for 12 days since I didn't find time to read the latest=
 mails and produce answers until today.  What sets it apart also from the s=
leep(1) example is that I intended to drop an idea and gather reactions bef=
ore having even produced code, because I wasn't sure on how it would be rec=
eived and in particular what are the use cases that could be affected.  Obt=
aining this feedback is essential because this project is about people from=
 diverse backgrounds and needs.  It also helps in clarifying a particular d=
esign, which some answers fulfilled.  I'm now at the point where the next s=
tep is to put up some code for review for a sysctl knob.

Is 'noatime' not being the default the biggest problem we currently have in=
 FreeBSD?  I agree it isn't.  However, it doesn't mean there is no value in=
 it.  On the contrary, I think it is very important that the project has sa=
ne defaults that match contemporary uses: It reduces the need for tweaks, w=
hich serves both beginners but *also* seasoned administrators.  This is in =
isolation a very small step in this direction, but there have been others a=
nd more will come.  Collectively, they can build up to significant addition=
al value for the project.

Regards.

=2D-=20
Olivier Certner
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