Chris G. Demetriou wrote:

> Simon Burge <simonb@netbsd.org> writes:
> > Given that it's a "machdep", should this "restriction" on what
> > the contents of 'booted_kernel' are?
> 
> depends on your point of view...  since i created the first version,
> AFAIK...  8-)
> 
> there certainly is precedent for machdep kernels with standard names
> and meanings...
> 
> > If so, then I can change
> > 'booted_kernel' to something like 'kernel_location' and make
> > 'booted_kernel' the basename of that, but then that may not make sense
> > for diskless boots...
> 
> does userland really particularly care how the kernel was booted?

Probably not :-)  About the only thing that comes to mind is if
you had a kernel with "root on rz0", but the kernel was booted
from "3/rz2/netbsd" then you could be suspicious...

> > Perhaps it's easier to have an rc.conf variable determining whether or
> > not to use machdep.booted_kernel?
> 
> The notion was in creating it that using machdep.booted_kernel isn't
> going to be worse than just using /netbsd.
> 
> I still think that's probably true.

'Cept for the pmax users who'll ask "What's this funny error message
kvm_mkdb gave me?" :)  If it weren't for the netboot case it sounds
like the easiest solution for now would be for the sysctl to return
the basename of the boot string...

Simon.