From owner-cvs-src@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Apr  8 17:23:27 2005
Return-Path: <owner-cvs-src@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: cvs-src@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP
	id 4D4F016A4CE; Fri,  8 Apr 2005 17:23:27 +0000 (GMT)
Received: from critter.freebsd.dk (f170.freebsd.dk [212.242.86.170])
	by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP
	id 8955443D5E; Fri,  8 Apr 2005 17:23:26 +0000 (GMT)
	(envelope-from phk@critter.freebsd.dk)
Received: from critter.freebsd.dk (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by critter.freebsd.dk (8.13.3/8.13.1) with ESMTP id j38HND4t019678;
	Fri, 8 Apr 2005 19:23:14 +0200 (CEST)
	(envelope-from phk@critter.freebsd.dk)
To: Sam Leffler <sam@errno.com>
From: "Poul-Henning Kamp" <phk@phk.freebsd.dk>
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 08 Apr 2005 09:40:15 PDT."
             <4256B3EF.5090702@errno.com> 
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 19:23:13 +0200
Message-ID: <19677.1112980993@critter.freebsd.dk>
Sender: phk@critter.freebsd.dk
cc: cvs-src@FreeBSD.org
cc: Gleb Smirnoff <glebius@FreeBSD.org>
cc: cvs-all@FreeBSD.org
cc: Bruce Evans <bde@zeta.org.au>
cc: src-committers@FreeBSD.org
Subject: Re: cvs commit: src/sys/kern kern_mutex.c 
X-BeenThere: cvs-src@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
List-Id: CVS commit messages for the src tree <cvs-src.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/cvs-src>,
	<mailto:cvs-src-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/cvs-src>
List-Post: <mailto:cvs-src@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:cvs-src-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/cvs-src>,
	<mailto:cvs-src-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 17:23:27 -0000

In message <4256B3EF.5090702@errno.com>, Sam Leffler writes:

>I agree with bde.  One major distinction I've noticed between Linux and 
>BSD systems is that Linux uses sysctls (aka /proc) in lieu of user-mode 
>tools that retrieve and format data.  While this is a reasonable 
>approach when you're distributing only a kernel that's not the case 
>here.  For debug info I can buy doing it (e.g. single user and no apps 
>from src/tools), but otherwise we're just adding stuff to the kernel 
>that belongs in apps.

The reason I disagree is that the amount of code it takes to convert
the data to an export format and the overhead of having a program in
userspace format it into text is ridiculous compared to just formatting
things in the kernel to begin with.

And besides, a formatted sysctl has no binary compatibility issues at
all.  I like that too.

-- 
Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
phk@FreeBSD.ORG         | TCP/IP since RFC 956
FreeBSD committer       | BSD since 4.3-tahoe    
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.