From owner-freebsd-hackers Mon Jun 1 19:26:47 1998 Return-Path: Received: (from majordom@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) id TAA12718 for freebsd-hackers-outgoing; Mon, 1 Jun 1998 19:26:47 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG) Received: from dyson.iquest.net (dyson.iquest.net [198.70.144.127]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id TAA12541; Mon, 1 Jun 1998 19:25:35 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from toor@dyson.iquest.net) Received: (from root@localhost) by dyson.iquest.net (8.8.8/8.8.8) id VAA01608; Mon, 1 Jun 1998 21:25:24 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from toor) Message-Id: <199806020225.VAA01608@dyson.iquest.net> Subject: Re: kernfs/procfs questions... In-Reply-To: <199806020111.SAA02433@dingo.cdrom.com> from Mike Smith at "Jun 1, 98 06:11:03 pm" To: mike@smith.net.au (Mike Smith) Date: Mon, 1 Jun 1998 21:25:24 -0500 (EST) Cc: dyson@FreeBSD.ORG, mike@smith.net.au, hackers@FreeBSD.ORG From: "John S. Dyson" Reply-To: dyson@FreeBSD.ORG X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL38 (25)] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG Mike Smith said: > > > > > I much prefer sysctl, being a convert from the kernfs camp. Procfs > > is just bogus, not well thought out re-invention (IMO.) It seems that > > the pseudo-MIB scheme of sysctl is nice. > > Personally, I like the basic idea (unified hierarchical namespace, > method-based access, etc), but sysctl (and kernfs') implementation is > unpleasantly inflexible. > Our sysctl is really easy to do all kinds of neat things. Try adding a sysctl entry vs. a procfs (or kernfs) entry. In fact, I am about to add about 50 sysctl's, and the amount of control that the sysctl mechanism allows is staggering. Sysctl can provide both method and variable access easily. To me it makes no sense to put something like this under a mount point. If it needs to be globally exported, make it an SNMP MIB. > > I'm also swayed in that we *do* need to follow the Linux lead at least > to the point where we can run their binaries with a reasonable degree > of success, so there's a little pressure on the border. > I would only believe so for the limited needs for Linux emulation. Note that we do have kernfs, it is just in mothballs. I was a convert from the FS methodology to the sysctl methodology, and with our much better sysctl API (both in kernel and user) it is quite usable. (I had to add some sysctl's under NetBSD, and it was very primitive.) -- John | Never try to teach a pig to sing, dyson@freebsd.org | it just makes you look stupid, jdyson@nc.com | and it irritates the pig. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message