Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!mailrus!uwmcsd1!marque!gryphon!jdow
From: jdow@gryphon.CTS.COM (J. Dow)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Fast File System questions
Message-ID: <5103@gryphon.CTS.COM>
Date: 2 Aug 88 03:13:33 GMT
References: <260@geocub.UUCP>
Reply-To: jdow@gryphon.CTS.COM (J. Dow)
Organization: Wizardess Designs Hermosa Beach, Ca
Lines: 41

In article <260@geocub.UUCP> anthes@geocub.UUCP (Franklin Anthes) writes:
>
> I've heard about the new FFS which will be available with 1.3.
>
> I've been wondering about a couple of things:
>
> - is FFS a totally new FS, or just changes made to the old FS?
Yes - it is an entirely new file system built to be compatible with the
old at the software interface level. The disk format is quite different
although there is still only one directory entry per block. The speed up
is in file transfers and more intelligent use of buffers and in more 
intelligent use of disk space (clusters directory entries and searches 'em
more intelligently.
>
> - What changes have been made?
See above. Much faster...
>
> - Why does FFS for diskettes have to wait until 1.4?
It can now be used on floppies - doing so is cumbersome and not all that
productive. Until it is loaded into the machine, though, nothing can use
it. So the boot disk must either be 1.3 automount/autoboot and load ffs
from its own image stored on a boot track or from a file on an old-fs df0:.
>
> - Has something been done to make directory access faster, or will the
>  the speedup in this area just be proportional to the speedup for
>  FFS?
Again see first answer. Directory searches are significantly faster.
>-- 
>
>	Frank Anthes-Harper
>Usenet: ....!ucbvax!decvax!uunet!mcvax!inria!geocub!anthes

{@_@}
-- 
Sometimes a bird in the hand leaves a sticky deposit.
Perhaps it were best it remain there in the bush with the other one.

{@_@}
	jdow@bix (where else?)		Sometimes the dragon wins. Sometimes
	jdow@gryphon.CTS.COM		the knight. Does the fair maiden ever
	{backbone}!gryphon!jdow		win? Surely both the knight and dragon
					stink both stink to high heaven.