Subject: LINUX support; was: File systems, geometry, zones...
To: None <current-users@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Andrew Cagney <cagney@highland.com.au>
List: current-users
Date: 10/25/1994 11:07:55
Excerpts from mail: 24-Oct-94 File systems, geometry, zon.. Gordon W.
Ross@jericho.m (474)

> > Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 13:45:06 +1000 (EST)
> > From: Luke Mewburn <lm@melb.cpr.itg.telecom.com.au>

> [ James W. Williams wants file-system sharing with linux... ]

> > Why not hack the FFS into linux? The way I see it, we have:
> >     Unix type		Primary FS type
> >     ---------		---------------
> >     Most SVR4, *BSD	BSD 4.x Fast File System
> >     Linux		Ext2fs, Extfs, etc.

> Much better to port FFS to linux -- especially given that it
> is then "somebody else's problem" :-)

Um, I look at it as:

	o	FFS is BSD code, and LINUX, in the past, hasn't exactly been excited
by BSD code.

	o	LINIX has x86 free-unix market share (1).  For NetBSD to hold its own
in that market, it is going to want (post 1.0) to include `LINUX
compatibility' (file system, ELF ABI ...).  Think of it the same way you
think of DOS compatibility :-)

While idealisticly it may SUX, I don't think that we've got much choice.
 Now if we can just get `LINUX compatibility' on NetBSD.MIPS ... :-^

						Andrew (taking off the marketing droid hat :-)

(1) In aus, it is now `normal' on TV infotainment shows doing spots on
The Internet to include footage of an x86 machine with a `Linux Inside'
logo.