Subject: Re: magic symlinks: uid keyword translation
To: None <tech-kern@NetBSD.org>
From: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
List: tech-kern
Date: 10/30/2006 11:38:56
>>> [...magiclinks...]
>> Shouldn't it actually be per-symlink? Even with MNT_SYMPERM turned
>> on, the sticky bit on a symlink means nothing (nor can I think what
>> it reasonably *could* mean, unlike the set-id and write bits);
>> perhaps that could be a suitable "handle magic-links for this link"
>> bit.
> Some months ago when I inquired about adding @booted_kernel, the
> sense I got from the discussion was that the whole idea of magic
> symlinks had some strong opposition
I don't recall the discussion (I recall the mention, but not the
discussion). When not marked in some way to distinguish them from
normal symlinks which just happen to contain the variable-substitute
syntax in their link-to strings, I oppose them strongly myself. But
with suitable marking (and I don't consider even FS-wide, much less
system-wide, suitable), I rather like them.
> (which probably in part explained the change from per-mount to
> sysctl-global, as a way of encouraging the feature to just fade away
> :) .
Lovely. "I don't like this feature, so I'll break it to get people to
stop using it, even though I'm providing no substitute." I really hope
that's not the true explanation.
/~\ The ASCII der Mouse
\ / Ribbon Campaign
X Against HTML mouse@rodents.montreal.qc.ca
/ \ Email! 7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39 4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B