Subject: Re: Call for review: The New Block/Character Device Switch Configuration
To: Chris Torek <torek@elf.eng.bsdi.com>
From: Todd Vierling <tv@wasabisystems.com>
List: tech-kern
Date: 07/01/2001 21:05:45
On Sun, 1 Jul 2001, Chris Torek wrote:

: I still say the Right Answer is to remove the distinction between
: block and character device numbers.  Note: this does not mean
: "remove the distinction between block and character devices".  I
: mean "remove the distinction between their NUMBERS": block device
: #17 will then always correspond to a character device #17, and vice
: versa.
:
: This works really well.

...but breaks compatibility.

Renumber the conflicting devices and provide compatibility with a kernel
compile switch providing redirects in the old slots, and I'm right with ya.

-- 
-- Todd Vierling <tv@wasabisystems.com>  *  Wasabi NetBSD:  Run with it.
-- NetBSD 1.5 now available on CD-ROM  --  http://www.wasabisystems.com/