Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 12:41:28 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Hans-Bernhard Broeker <broeker AT physik DOT rwth-aachen DOT de>
To: Martin Str|mberg <ams AT ludd DOT luth DOT se>
cc: DJGPP-WORKERS <djgpp-workers AT delorie DOT com>
Subject: Re: UMSDOS
In-Reply-To: <199806061802.UAA00561@sister.ludd.luth.se>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.93.980608123347.24150E-100000@acp3bf>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Precedence: bulk

On Sat, 6 Jun 1998, Martin Str|mberg wrote:

> Following the links to links thread with interest, I want to know how
> you look at the issue of porting Linux UMSDOS system to DJGPP. 

I think this has even less probability of being done than VFAT support in
plain DOS (which seems to be available, at least for OpenDOS users). The
basic problem is that this kind of operation can only be implemented
sensibly by the operating system (or the multitasker, if the OS itself is
singletasked).  Otherwise, we'd get into loads of problems with several
DJGPP programs trying to modify the 'hidden' datastructure simultaneously. 

Just think of two DJGPP programs working multitasked (under Win3.1, where
no VFAT support exists), both operating on files in the same directory.
Result: crashes, corrupted long filenames, or even corrupted file system. 

So, if at all, this support would have to be added to DOS, not to DJGPP. 
The way to go would be a full-fledged filesystem driver, hooked in as low
as possible (maybe using the 'DRVSPACE.BIN' activation method, even). 

Hans-Bernhard Broeker (broeker AT physik DOT rwth-aachen DOT de)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.