From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?M=E5ns_Rullg=E5rd?= <mans@mansr.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] x86: Deprecate a.out support
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2019 19:47:25 +0000
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        (Linus Torvalds's message of "Mon, 11 Mar 2019 12:03:18 -0700")
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To: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Cc: Matt Turner <mattst88@gmail.com>, Borislav Petkov <bp@alien8.de>, Alan Cox <gnomes@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>, Matthew Wilcox <willy@infradead.org>, Jann Horn <jannh@google.com>, Al Viro <viro@zeniv.linux.org.uk>, Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>, kernel list <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>, linux-fsdevel <linux-fsdevel@vger.kernel.org>, the arch/x86 maintainers <x86@kernel.org>, Linux API <linux-api@vger.kernel.org>, Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>, Richard Weinberger <richard@nod.at>, Anton Ivanov <anton.ivanov@cambridgegreys.com>, linux-alpha <linux-alpha@vger.kernel.org>, linux-m68k@lists.linux-m68k.org
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Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> writes:

> On Mon, Mar 11, 2019 at 11:08 AM Måns Rullgård <mans@mansr.com> wrote:
>>
>> The latest version I have is 5.1, and that uses ECOFF.
>
> ECOFF _is_ a.out as far as Linux is concerned.
>
> So Linux basically treats ECOFF as "regular a.out with just some
> header extensions".
>
> We don't have any specific support for ECOFF.
>
> I _think_. Again, it's been years and years.

Right, which is why killing a.out entirely would have the unfortunate
effect of also removing the OSF/1 compatibility on Alpha.

If we are to support Alpha as an architecture at all, it makes sense to
support the things people actually use it for.

Now, personally I can live without it.  I just don't like to see
features removed without due consideration.

-- 
Måns Rullgård