linux registry (no, not that again!)

Jonathan Andrews jon at jonshouse.co.uk
Wed Jul 28 15:52:17 UTC 2004


On Wed, 2004-07-28 at 16:38, Matthew Miller wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 28, 2004 at 03:38:50PM +0100, Jonathan Andrews wrote:
> > Why doesn't the Linux kernel have an API for maintaining VARIABLE=value
> > type text files built in?
> 
> Ow. Why would you want that in the kernel?

1) Everything more than "Hello world" needs to store some configuration,
so doesn't that make it a requirement of most applications hence a lot
of processes within the application.

2) By putting a simple quick and understandable system in the kernel its
more likely to be adopted.
	
3) Present in the kernel = No dependency on external libs, making it
more likely to be adopted.

4) Kernel = common API - if people would only need another API if the
configuration need was more complex than the base line, and  mostly it
is not.

This will give rise to common standards, if the kernel is always only
just enough then you end up with everyone having to code a slightly
different variant of the same code to achieve the same result, as
happens with configuration now.

5) Why not show some leadership instead of just cloning Unix/Posix - "As
little as possible" need not be that same as "Not enough to be complete"


Jon







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