Re: [PATCH v4 1/2] Provide in-kernel headers for making it easy to extend the kernel

[Karim Yaghmour <karim.yaghmour@opersys.com>]

Hi Geert,

On 3/11/19 4:03 AM, Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
[ snip ]
> OK.
> 
> Now about the actual solution: what is your opinion on embedding e.g.
> a squashfs image in the kernel instead, which would be a more generic
> solution, not adding more ABI to /proc?

I'm not familiar enough with the intricacies of squashfs to have an 
educated opinion, but I hear that it's got its quirks (need for 
user-space tools, etc.) and possibly security issues. Also, I wonder 
whether it's a generalized solution that still kicks the ABI can down 
the road -- ultimately the kernel would still have a path/format/foo for 
making kheaders available in that squashfs image and that convention 
would become ABI. The only "benefit" being that said ABI wouldn't appear 
under /proc, and, tbh, I'm not sure that that's actually a benefit or is 
even idiomatic since kconfig.gz is already under /proc. To an extent, 
the precedent set by kconfig favors kheaders to also be available in the 
same location using a similar mechanism ... i.e. bonus points for 
consistency.

But that's my hand-wavy gut-reaction response to your question. I'm sure 
others on this thread have far more informed opinions about the 
specifics than I could have. My priority was to clarify the basis for 
the need being addressed.

Cheers,

-- 
Karim Yaghmour
CEO - Opersys inc. / www.opersys.com
http://twitter.com/karimyaghmour