On Fri Feb 23 2001 at 09:40:22 +0100, Christoph Hellwig wrote:
> > The speed difference is due to
> > the fact that linux does metadata operations asynchronously where NetBSD
> > does them synchronously. Sure, it's faster, but the real fun begins when
> > you accidentally for one reason or another have the filesystem violently
> > unmount itself in the middle of a heavy operation (eg. due to a power
> > failure). *pooof*, no more filesystem.
> 
> No.  That's a well-know FUD, but actually asynch metadata increaese the
> reliablity - unlike synch metadata the io is done in (mosty) the same
> order - of metadata is actually recoverable by a good fsck anyway.
> Basically what Linux does is softdep for the poor.

FUD or not, I have personally witnessed linux not boot after the power
plug was pulled. That has never happened with NetBSD. Obviously
something is wrong there, be it the metadata handling or not.

-- 
Antti Kantee <pooka@iki.fi>          v          Of course he runs NetBSD
http://www.iki.fi/pooka/             i            http://www.NetBSD.org/