Re: The argument for fs assistance in handling archives

Spam
2004-09-02T09:52:49Z

> Linus Torvalds wrote:

>> But _my_ point is, no user program is going to take _advantage_ of
>>
>>anything that only one filesystem on one system offers.
>>
>>
> Apple does not have this problem....

> and yes, the apps will take advantage of it, which is different from
> depending on it. If you use the wrong fs you will lose some of the
> features of the app.

> For 30 years nothing much has happened in Unix filesystem semantics
> because of sheer cowardice (excepting Clearcase, which priced itself
> into a niche market). It is 25 years past time for someone to change
> things. That someone will have first mover advantage, and the more
> little semantic features possessed the more lure there will be to use it
> which will increase market share which will lure more apps into
> depending on it and in a few years the other filesystems will
> (deservedly) have only a small market share because the apps won't all
> work on them.

> Besides, there are enhancements which are simply compelling. You can
> write a dramatically better performance version control system with a
> much simpler design if the FS is atomic. Our transaction manager
> first draft was written by a version control guy, and he would probably
> be happy to tell you how lack of atomicity other than rename makes
> version control software design hideous.

Btw, version control for ordinary files would be a great feature. I
think something like it is available through Windows 2000/3 server.
Isn't it called "Shadow Copies". It works over network shares. :)

It allows you to restore previous versions of the file even if you
delete or overwrite it.

Features like this do make a good point and helps protecting data -
something that is important IMHO.

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windowsserv/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/overview_snapshot.asp

> We have the performance lead. By next year we will be stable enough for
> mission critical servers, and then we start the serious semantic
> enhancements.

> If you don't embrace progress, then you doom Linux to following behind,
> because the guys at Apple are pretty aggressive now that Jobs is back,
> and they WILL change the semantics, and they will do so in compelling
> ways, and Linux will be reduced to aping them when it should be leading
> them.

> Hans