> Wouldn't it be useful to default these parameters to the built-in ones (for
> drivers that have them) that are used for reading and writing? That way,
> you can be confident that a format operation results in a readable disk
> on the same machine (when using the correct minor device number).

i'd say "yes."  (it'd also be nice to actually support multiple
partitions and multiple densities on floppies in a sane, i.e. not
"partition letter picks density" way, though perhaps ports other than
the i386 already do that...)


> It also removes the need to maintain duplicate sets of tables in the userland
> formatting program.

uh, why should there be any tables in the user-land formatting program
_at all_?

I'd think that there should be a disktab-ish table that included
floppy formatting parameters...


cgd