Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 07:11:03 +0800 From: Peter Wemm <peter@netplex.com.au> To: Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> Cc: Garrett Wollman <wollman@khavrinen.lcs.mit.edu>, Robert Nordier <rnordier@FreeBSD.ORG>, cvs-committers@FreeBSD.ORG, cvs-all@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: cvs commit: src/sys/boot/i386/boot2 Makefile Message-ID: <199810142311.HAA08279@spinner.netplex.com.au> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 14 Oct 1998 08:46:59 MST." <199810141546.IAA00919@dingo.cdrom.com>
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Mike Smith wrote:
> > <<On Wed, 14 Oct 1998 08:19:15 -0700, Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> said:
> >
> > > /usr/mdec is the wrong location. Nothing belongs there, and the
> > > directory itself should be removed.
> >
> > Hello?!
> >
> > /usr/ contains the majority of user utilities and applications
> > mdec/ boot programs; see disklabel(8)
> >
> > I'd say something definitely DOES belong there -- the boot programs
> > installed by disklabel(8).
>
> The directory is a wart. It may be an historic wart, but it's still a
> wart. Every other collection of application-specific data is collected
> elsewhere. The existence of /usr/mdec causes not inconsiderable
> confusion ("why there?" "what does 'mdec' mean?").
>
> Boot programs that are read out of the filesystem belong in /boot.
> Binary information that's used by disklabel belongs in /usr/libdata,
> unless you want it on / for repair purposes, when /boot is a more
> sensible place.
Boot programs are read out of /, /boot and the boot sectors at boot time.
Boot *blocks* that disklabel uses to install in the boot sectors are in
/usr/mdec. disklabel has got this location hardcoded in it. You have
multiple choices of boot blocks and other programs (eg: dos executables,
ROM images etc) that do not require wasting precious space on /.
Having them on /usr is not an issue. Either you can boot the system or
you cannot. If you boot from floppy, then you can easily mount / and
/usr. If /usr is destroyed as well as your bootblocks, the system is in a
pretty sad state and installing the bootblocks isn't going to make the
slightest difference to it's operational state - ie: still cactus.
Cheers,
-Peter
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