Re: 2.6.3-mm1

[Brandon Low <blow@rbsys.com>]

On Wed, 02/18/04 at 11:16:40 -0500, Bill Davidsen wrote:
> Andrew Morton wrote:
> >ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/akpm/patches/2.6/2.6.3/2.6.3-mm1/
> >
> >- Added the dm-crypt driver: a crypto layer for device-mapper.
> >
> >  People need to test and use this please.  There is documentation at
> >  http://www.saout.de/misc/dm-crypt/.
> >
> >  We should get this tested and merged up.  We can then remove the nasty
> >  bio remapping code from the loop driver.  This will remove the current
> >  ordering guarantees which the loop driver provides for journalled
> >  filesystems.  ie: ext3 on cryptoloop will no longer be crash-proof.
> >
> >  After that we should remove cryptoloop altogether.
> >
> >  It's a bit late but cyptoloop hasn't been there for long anyway and it
> >  doesn't even work right with highmem systems (that part is fixed in -mm).
> 
> What definition of "stable kernel" do you use which includes removal of 
> features which were reasons to migrate to 2.6 from 2.4? This change 
> would mean having to add dm to the kernel which otherwise doesn't use 
> it, carry dm utilities on the system whcih are otherwise unneeded, and 
> train people to use and not use dm.
> 
> I expect major things to change in a development series, but less major 
> things than this have been pushed to 2.7, why is this being forced in?
>
I must add my voice here in strong opposition of the removal of
cryptoloop from the 2.6 series of kernels.  This is no longer a
development series kernel, I (and others, I'm sure) have been working on
developing technologies which depend on this functionality and which
would be _very_ annoying to do with DM (liveCD-on-cryptoloop-on-iso).

Please do not drop cryptoloop!

Thanks,
--
Brandon Low
Release Coordinator
Ribstone Systems
http://www.ribstonesystems.com