Re: Etherboot/BSD Netboot root_path tag handling

[Marty Connor <mdc@thinguin.org>]

On 4/27/00 7:52 PM Bob Edwards Robert.Edwards@anu.edu.au wrote:
>Klaus Espenlaub wrote:
>> Currently the root_path vendor tag (id 17) is basically ignored using
>> mknbi-linux.  The assembler code dealing with the root filesystem path
>> only looks at the tag if no boot file name is known - a case that will
>> never happen at least with Etherboot.  So generally you'll end up with the
>> dirname of the boot file.
>> 
>> The Linux Terminal Server Project already ran into this but worked around
>> by using the -d switch to set the root directory name inside the nbi image.
>> However this should be just a temporary hack in my opinion.
>> 
>> Any votes against a small patch to the first.S file that reverses the order
>> of things - first the DHCP/BOOTP tag, then the boot file dirname?

>A very democratic process! As with any democracy, the folk being asked to
>make the decision are seldom able to think through the issues and need to
>have the thinking done for them. In this case, to save me some time, can you
>please spell out the implications (positive and negative) of swapping the
>order of parsing these tags? Namely, what is going to break in existing
>setups? Cheers,  Bob Edwards.

Bob, I wish to applaud Klaus for his message.  This is not an exercise in 
democracy, rather an exercise in inclusive development processes.  He 
asked for votes against the idea.  This indicates to me that he wishes to 
have informed opinions about whether anyone believes this change will 
negatively affect the project.

Your message, on the other hand I find insulting.  Clearly you 
_personally_ don't understand this issue, and rather than simply admit 
that you do not understand and ask for clarification (a completely 
reasonable approach), you made it seem as if Klaus was throwing the whole 
issue up for a majority rules vote, and endangering the project by asking 
for feedback.  He was not. 

Please speak for yourself rather than huddling behind a hastily 
constructed wall of disfunctional "democracy".

I am sure Klaus would _never_ include a change that he thought dangerous, 
and further I believe that there are sufficient informed people on this 
list to raise objections to any changes that are perceived to be 
questionable.

I very much appreciate Klaus' consideration in sending his message and 
all the fine work he has done on to move this project forward.  I hope 
this kind of RFC (request for comments) continues on such issues.  Go 
Klaus!

Regards,

Marty



---
   Name: Martin D. Connor
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  Email: mdc@thinguin.org
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