Kai Makisara wrote:
> The Linux codes should be changed at some time. However, I am reluctant to
> do that until someone presents a list of codes and explanation why the list is
> correct (also beyond code 7).
You should also be reluctant to do so because it would break all commercial
tape backup software for Linux. EST, Knox Software, Computer Associates Inc.,
etc., would all be somewhat upset if one day somebody made their software
break. Changes to Linux that make commercial software break is already a
long-time problem, otherwise there would not be a Linux Standard Base project.
Whatever your feelings on commercial software, until there are Open Source
alternatives of equal capability, the success of Linux depends upon it.
> (rmt is a broken protocol: it uses system-dependent numbers to transfer
> commands from one system to another. Actually we should fix rmt instead of
> the Linux definitions ;-)
No comment. I am trying to be diplomatic.
> I have not seen a proper definition for the Unix tape semantics. It seems
http://www.opennc.org/pubs/catalog/t912.htm
Hmm, a search does not show any entry for 'mtio' in the Single Unix
Specification. I guess that puts the whole MTIO ioctl stuff into the realm of
"system dependent". Any utility which makes assumptions about what "magic
numbers" are for those ioctls is, therefore, by definition, broken.
> have been discussing in this thread. Since there is no common practice, we
> are free to think what is the proper way to return this kind of
> information.
I would not say "free". It would be interesting to see how, say, Solaris,
returns this information (Solaris being the #2 most popular Unix platform,
after Linux). On the other hand, given that the information currently isn't
being returned at all, adhering slavishly to the Solaris way of doing things
isn't necessary.
--
Eric Lee Green [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Software Engineer Visit our Web page:
Enhanced Software Technologies, Inc. http://www.estinc.com/
(602) 470-1115 voice (602) 470-1116 fax
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