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Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2000 07:20:27 -0500
From: Michael Rothwell <rothwell@holly-springs.nc.us>
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To: Christoph Rohland <cr@sap.com>
CC: Larry McVoy <lm@bitmover.com>, richardj_moore@uk.ibm.com,
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Subject: Re: [ANNOUNCE] Generalised Kernel Hooks Interface (GKHI)
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Christoph Rohland wrote:
> If we would not allow binary only modules I would not have such a big
> problem with that...

I'm not sure how you would do that.
 
> I understand that the one size fits all approach has some limitations
> if you want to run on PDAs up to big iron. But a framework to overload
> core kernel functions with modules smells a lot of binary only, closed
> source, vendor specific Linux on high end machines.

Since Linux is GPL, how would you stop this?
 
> And then I don't see the value of Linux anymore.

Same as before -- freedom and low cost. The primary advantae of Linux
over other OSes is the GPL. 

I think and Advanced Linux Kernel PRoject would be a good idea for a
number of reasons. It would give "Enterprise" users their own special
kernel, just like the microcontroller and real-time guys have. It would
also provide a parallel development track for Linux that could provide
real competition and value to the Linus-version kernel. The "Enterprise"
machines that IBM, HP and SGI would target aren't all S/390s; there
would be significant overlap of their low end with Linus' high end, I
think. Like 8+-way SMP servers.

-M
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