Re: deconflicting new syscall numbers for 6.11

Linus Torvalds
2024-07-04T17:47:26Z

On Thu, 4 Jul 2024 at 10:33, Linus Torvalds
<torvalds@linux-foundation.org> wrote:
>
> I need a real actual live user that says "I can't just use rdrand and
> my own chacha mixing on top" and explains why having a SSE2 chachacha
> in kernel code exposed as a vdso is so critical, and a magical buffer
> maintained by the kernel.

One final note: the reason I'm so negative about this all is that the
random number subsystem has such an absolutely _horrendous_ history of
two main conflicting issues: people wanting reasonable usable random
numbers on one side, and then the people that discuss what the word
"entropy" means on the other side.

And honestly, I don't want the kernel stuck even *more* in the middle
of that morass. I strongly suspect that one reason why glibc people
would want this is the exact same reason: _they_ don't want to be
stuck in the same padded room with the crazies _either_, so they love
the concept of "somebody else's problem".

So no. I do not think "libc people want this" is an argument at all
for the kernel doing it. Quite the reverse. It's a "pass the hot
potato" thing. Which is why I really really want those real users
standing up and saying "we can't use rdrand and rdtsc and our own
mixing".

Linus