From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Thu, 7 Mar 2002 15:59:25 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Thu, 7 Mar 2002 15:59:13 -0500 Received: from imo-m06.mx.aol.com ([64.12.136.161]:25078 "EHLO imo-m06.mx.aol.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Thu, 7 Mar 2002 15:59:02 -0500 Date: Thu, 07 Mar 2002 15:58:43 -0500 From: pelletierma@netscape.net To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: ACL support Message-ID: <3EA14851.578E6D9E.5016AB90@netscape.net> X-Mailer: Atlas Mailer 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Hello. In response to a number of email I have received, I wanted to make something clear: I'm not out to compete with the bestbit implementation of ACLs over extended file attributes. :-) What I am offering is an alternative implementation of ACL support at the VFS level, that remains independent of filesystem support for ACLs. In fact, my patch provides filesystem support for ramfs only at this time (which was ideal for testing). The extenteded attribute system as implemented is very good (and in fact I am using it for a project of mine), and provide an excellent infrastructure for implementing ext2 and ext3 support for ACL... only I beleive that providing an uniform interface and evaluation of ACLs that remains independent of the filesystem is the Right Thing(tm). Placing ACLs at the VFS level also allows subdivision of the traditional rwx semantics. In fact, people emailed me after testing my patch have suggested additional subdivisions of access right that would be useful for some other non persistent filesystems (proc and devfs) such as giving a bit for ioctl()s. And since my ACL system is based on VFS inodes, it can be extended to sockets as well, which would make useful connection and listen permissions, for instance. I have not touched implementation of ACL for ext2 and ext3 yet /exactly/ because the bestbits extended attributes existed, and I felt the people working on that code would be in an excellent position to interface with my ACL support seamlessly. Both codebases can be viewed as orthogonal, not competing. That's the way I chose to look at it, and I hope others can feel the same as well. Happy coding. :-) -- Marc A. Pelletier -- __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/