Date:        Wed, 12 Nov 2003 12:09:17 +0100
    From:        Manuel Bouyer <bouyer@antioche.eu.org>
    Message-ID:  <20031112110917.GB4252@antioche.eu.org>

  | I think this should be the job for a userland tool (a la mbrlabel(8)).
  | The kernel needs to know about native partitions maps for the port, to be
  | able to find the root partition, but we probably don't want to put the
  | knowledge of each partition map of the world in the kernel.

I agree totally - the kernel needs to know how to find and read as much as
is required to locate the root (at least).

But, assuming we have that userland tool that knows how to read/write labels
for every other port's labels - and that it is also going to run on all those
other ports (and hence also know how to read/write our label - whatever port
"our" is in this context) I was wondering whether the desire to put the
writing of the native port labels in the kernel can really be supported?

It needs to be in the userland tool anyway, so the labels can be written
on other ports - having it in the kernel as well seems like needless 
duplication of effort, and knowledge.   I think I'd have all label writing
done in a userland tool that can be made as smart (and protective) as needed.

kre