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Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 01:22:09 -0500 (EST)
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To: msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au, rcarter@consys.com
cc: current@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: linux ELF codine no go on 2.2 Gamma
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In a message dated 97-02-05 20:59:53 EST, msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au
(Michael Smith) writes:

> 
>  Russell L. Carter stands accused of saying:
>  > 
>  > I've been trying to get codine 4 (http://www.genias.de/) 
>  > for linux ELF going with the following result:
>  > 
>  > $ cod_qmaster 
>  > ELF binary type not known
>  > Abort trap
>  > $ file cod_qmaster
>  > cod_qmaster: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, Intel 80386, version 1
>  
>  It's a static ELF binary; without the path of the linker to use as hint,
>  there's no way to tell which ABI it requires.  Try
>  
>  # brandelf cod_qmaster
>  # brandelf -t Linux cod_qmaster
>  
>  > on the other hand, Wingz seems to be happy as a bug, and
>  > file reports the same:
>  > 
>  > $ file /usr/X11/lib/X11/Wingz/bin/Wingz
>  > /usr/X11/lib/X11/Wingz/bin/Wingz: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, Intel
80386, 
>  > version 1
>  
>  It's linked shared, so the execution class code can guess what it is.
>  
>  > Russell
 
     I've been wondering if there is any way to abuse the filesystem to
identify
Linux, SCO, and BSDI binaries.  Why not make the assumption in the
kernel that any binary loaded from /compat/[linux,sco,bsdi] is an elf binary
of the type denoted by the subdirectory.  This would eliminate any need
to brand the binaries.  You would just install them under the appropriate
subdirectory of /compat.  This makes the implicit and reasonable assumption
that any elf binary not under /compat is a native FreeBSD one.

STeve