From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1751516AbVHZKhm (ORCPT ); Fri, 26 Aug 2005 06:37:42 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1751519AbVHZKhm (ORCPT ); Fri, 26 Aug 2005 06:37:42 -0400 Received: from dtp.xs4all.nl ([80.126.206.180]:22086 "HELO abra2.bitwizard.nl") by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id S1751074AbVHZKhm (ORCPT ); Fri, 26 Aug 2005 06:37:42 -0400 Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 12:37:40 +0200 From: Erik Mouw To: Alan Jenkins Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: Initramfs and TMPFS! Message-ID: <20050826103740.GB28640@harddisk-recovery.com> References: <1124996732.5848.9.camel@singularity.jenkins> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <1124996732.5848.9.camel@singularity.jenkins> Organization: Harddisk-recovery.com User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.9i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Thu, Aug 25, 2005 at 08:05:32PM +0100, Alan Jenkins wrote: > > On Thu, Aug 25, 2005 at 12:32:50AM -0400, robo...@godmail.com wrote: > > > Right, but it would be nice to have that option if initramfs > > > using tmpfs becomes part of the kernel. > > > > But it's not needed so why add bloat? > > I'm not subscribed, so sorry if this doesn't fall into the original > thread. I'm curious as to why the kernel has to include the decoder - > why you can't just run a self-extracting executable in an empty > initramfs (with a preset capacity if needs be). How would that help? It's still a decoder in the kernel, so why not use one that's well tested instead of using whatever the archive thinks is good? Also remember the code has to be cross platform: an in-kernel decoder will just work on any platform, a self-extracting binary will probably only work on one platform. Besides, initramfs was made to set up userland. A self-extracting binary creates a chicken-and-egg problem: when run it will create a userland, but in order to be run it needs a userland. Erik -- +-- Erik Mouw -- www.harddisk-recovery.com -- +31 70 370 12 90 -- | Lab address: Delftechpark 26, 2628 XH, Delft, The Netherlands