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Subject: Re: Linux compat issue(s)
To: msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au (Michael Smith)
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 1996 14:18:32 +0200 (MET DST)
Cc: sos@FreeBSD.org, msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au, jdp@polstra.com,
        hackers@FreeBSD.org
In-Reply-To: <199610161155.VAA03723@genesis.atrad.adelaide.edu.au> from "Michael Smith" at Oct 16, 96 09:25:26 pm
From: sos@FreeBSD.org
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In reply to Michael Smith who wrote:
> 
> sos@FreeBSD.org stands accused of saying:
> > > 
> > > Native would be pointless, as native binaries will always be
> > > identifiable.  The reason I ask is that for the situation where the
> > 
> > NO, wrong, we can't even see if the bin is native !!!!
> 
> Yes we can.  You're coming up with a means of identifying FreeBSD
> binaries which JDP will be putting in the linker.  There aren't many
> BSD ELF binaries out there, so _now_ is the time to mandate that for a
> FreeBSD ELF binary to be recognised as such, it must be branded.

Ahh, yes, I misunderstood you, WHEN we have this in place it will
work (of cause), but I have allready some FreeBSD ELF bins which dont
know :) (Yeah I know I can recompile them).
What I meant was that default is native, not something else...

> > Hypothetical ?? I have a SVR4 emu :), I just can't/wont't release the code.
> 
> If you're going to dangle teasers, at least explain them 8)

OK, what I have is a SVR4 emulator heavily based on the iBCS2 code
that I did long ago, actually I did it back then, and a SVR4 libc
which contains the ELF interpreter. Now I cant release the lib because
of copyrights, and Mr Wallace decided to scratch my iBCS2 emu for
the NetBSD one, so that code wont fit in smoothly as it was
supposed to, and I'm not going to spend endless hours fitting
it into that mess, period.

> > I'd rather have it give up and say unknown binary format or something like
> > that, or try running it as a FreeBSD ELF bin.
> 
> Please, no.  If it is unidentifiable, it is by definition not a FreeBSD
> ELF binary.  I stand by "if it can't be identified, feed it to the 
> most recently-loaded ELF interpreter and pray".

Gee, then we will have to keep track on what was loaded last :(

> In the short term, this will have the happy side effect that static 
> Linux ELF binaries will suddenly magically work, which is a Good Thing.

IF, the linux emu is loaded, and libs are installed, and you are 
lucky to have the right versions of them :(

> > Now, for a practical question, what should I call the little util ??
> > 
> > markelf, brandelf or just plan elf (fixelf sounds a bit harsh :) )
> 
> Heh.  "smurf"

Didn't think of that one myself :)


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Soren Schmidt             (sos@FreeBSD.org)             FreeBSD Core Team
               So much code to hack -- so little time.