Re: Specifying names for tap interfaces

[Manuel Bouyer <bouyer%antioche.eu.org@localhost>]

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 06:03:21AM +1000, Darren Reed wrote:
> On 21/06/2012 5:34 AM, Manuel Bouyer wrote:
> > On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 05:08:13AM +1000, Darren Reed wrote:
> >> No, this is not the right approach and I don't think that a short cut
> >> solution like this belongs in NetBSD.
> >>
> >> As you noticed, this requires changes to other utilities in order to work.
> > 
> > beside ifconfig, I'm not sure.
> > 
> >>
> >> If your project requires any changes to brconfig, netstat, ifconfig, ipf,
> >> npf, tcpdump, etc, then you've got the wrong solution in hand. Each network
> >> interface should have one name and one name only as far as userland is
> >> concerned. If there are userland programs (aside from device management)
> > 
> > I'm not happy with the "one name and one name only".
> 
> Why aren't you happy?
> 
> > I think some use case
> > will want the name, some other will want the alias (and you may need both
> > at the same time).
> 
> Such as...?

I saw some people being unhappy with the idea of interface rename
("once you're renamed it to foobar you don't know anymore if it's a
wm(4) or a tap(4), or possibly a bridge(4)") and I also like being
able to classify interfaces looking  at their name,
But I also see a need to be able to refer to them using a different name.
But this is different from a rename.

I really think the feature we want is "alias", not "rename".

-- 
Manuel Bouyer <bouyer%antioche.eu.org@localhost>
     NetBSD: 26 ans d'experience feront toujours la difference
--