Subject: MI /etc/disktab proposal
To: None <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Jaromir Dolecek <jdolecek@netbsd.org>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 12/17/2002 13:40:05
Hi,
since it seems that most archs have very similar, or completely dummy
disktab in basesrc/etc/etc.ARCH/disktab, I think it would make sense
to consolidate this a bit.

My proposal is to do this:
1. if there are any remaining disktab entries used during
   distrib build, move that to appropriate distrib directory
2. gather all remaining unique entries to an example disktab, which would
   be put as single file /usr/share/examples/disktab/disktab , or
   perhaps as several example disktab files like disktab.vax, disktab.pmax
   etc
3. make a minimal disktab, put it to basesrc/etc/disktab, install
   it on all machines and remove the arch-specific ones; it might
   also be good the 'minimal' disktab to not include the lenghty comment
   on top, just reference to the example disktab(s)

It's matter of discussion what makes 'minimal disktab'. I think
that the only useful entry is 'floppy' entry, for 3.5" floppy.

Perhaps a floppy288 entry might also be useful there once
we'd support 2.88MB floppies. AFAICS kernel disk drivers can fabricate
a initial disklabel for other disk types, so no other entries should
really be needed.

If there are ports where the historic 'full' disktab is really
needed on all newly installed machines, the change can be made so
that the 'minimal disktab' would only be used if arch doesn't have
it's own.

Opinions?
If not, I'll make the change outlined in 1)-3) in several days.

Jaromir
-- 
Jaromir Dolecek <jdolecek@NetBSD.org>            http://www.NetBSD.org/
-=- We should be mindful of the potential goal, but as the tantric    -=-
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-=- sometimes levitate or glow.   Do not let this distract you.''     -=-