From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Dec 30 15:22:33 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 652A1106564A for ; Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:22:33 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from djackson452@gmail.com) Received: from mail-ey0-f182.google.com (mail-ey0-f182.google.com [209.85.215.182]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id EC8878FC15 for ; Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:22:32 +0000 (UTC) Received: by eaaf13 with SMTP id f13so17988068eaa.13 for ; Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:22:31 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :content-type; bh=l6pLe35+iJ1lUV1GZDp79U4lg410EKqVlJD+rmp/AQs=; b=o96QfYK2N1d2MJVx/82deF4WDq/Bh5GPjuqhpITVk5evoU72uoHGdANrLRj1cLPyR1 /WFQKZSwEA/7e3MgDp9OqnXXzLfvzwuaVDUgf7vCXKJrPQ76729ea1g345/Xyvuw7nnw JAQrY7l+Gjc+5Zh0/iDZKbfcp71JOnmICjApY= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.205.133.129 with SMTP id hy1mr9659369bkc.28.1325258551688; Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:22:31 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.204.130.27 with HTTP; Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:22:31 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: <201112300604.pBU64dqB069626@mail.r-bonomi.com> References: <201112300604.pBU64dqB069626@mail.r-bonomi.com> Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:22:31 -0500 Message-ID: From: David Jackson To: Robert Bonomi , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Cc: Subject: Re: FreeBSD Kernel Internals Documentation X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:22:33 -0000 On Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 1:04 AM, Robert Bonomi wrote: > > From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Thu Dec 29 21:46:36 2011 > > Date: Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:43:16 -0500 > > From: David Jackson > > To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org > > Subject: FreeBSD Kernel Internals Documentation > > > > I have had an interest in studying the FreeBSD kernel and getting to know > > its internals better. After all, in Open source projects, they say, > > community contributions are important. > > > > However, My finding is that due to poor documentation, the FreeBSD kernel > > is nearly impenetrable to an outsider. I have been able to find no > > comprehensive documentation of kernel internals. I have found it nearly > > impossible, due to lack of comprehensive documentation, much of any of > the > > kernel internals. What I see is an internal cliche of developers who are > > aware of its myraid of undocumented esoteric secrets, and very little to > > actually help anyone else to understand it. > > You're talking abaout _volumes_ of documentation, literally many books > worth. > > Start with "The Design and Implementation of the BSD 4.4.4 Operating > System" > by McKusick, eal. > > Then read "The design and Implementation of the FreeBSD Operating System", > by McKusick and Neville-Neal.` > > > *You* are free to contribute 'better documentation' as you review any > particular file. Since you feel it is important, you are strongly > encouraged to "do something" to actually 'make it better', as opposed > to merely sitting on the sidelines and sniping at the work of others. > > Well, okay, yes, I have heard of these books. Of course, if I am getting involved in studying and figuring out the FreeBSD kernel, I would contribute documentation, both for my own future use and for the benefit of others. Of course, those best able to document are those who wrote it in the first place, since they already know how it works.