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From: jhall@amc-gw.UUCP (John Hall)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: What kinds of things would you want in the GNU OS?
Summary: Need hooks into the file path parser.
Keywords: GNU OS features kernel fun!
Message-ID: <395@amc-gw.UUCP>
Date: 31 May 89 20:12:38 GMT
References: <106326@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Reply-To: jhall@amc-gw.UUCP (John Hall)
Followup-To: comp.unix.wizards
Organization: Applied Microsystems Corp., Redmond, WA.
Lines: 30

One thing I would like to see would be a formalized set of hooks into the
kernel file-path parser.  I think it is silly to have to re-compile your
kernel each time you want to add a new functionality (for example, NFS, or
Sun's NSE).  A method for user programs to map their functions or resources
into UNIX filename-space would be revolutionary.

Device driver interfaces, distributed files, and resources all could
be implemented as servers, and each server could handle it's own security,
resource allocation, etc. dynamically.  Also, you could have servers
do wildcard parsing.  Think of all the traverse(), parse_path(),
search_file(), routines that would obsolete.

A trivial example would be a server that made an archive look like a 
directory.  You could copy files in and out, list, do as you please; and
when you were done, use the regular name to move, backup, etc. the archive.

You could have a database-type server that automatically handles file
locking.

I hope people can take this idea and make something workable out of it.
My intuition says it is a good one, and I know it would have made life
much easier for me on a number of occasions.

			As always, Thank You for Your Support.

-- 
John "Down Ball" Hall    > Volleyball isn't just a sport ... it's a religion! <
Applied Microsystems Corp. | Disclamer:  "Did I say that???  My mind must |
Voice: (206) 882-2000 x654 | be out to lunch.  I hate when that happens!" |
UUCP: uunet!amc!jhall      | Ollie's Disclaimer: "I don't recall..."      |