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To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>
Subject: Re: test11-pre5 breaks vmware
Date: 15 Nov 2000 12:12:15 -0800
Organization: Transmeta Corporation, Santa Clara CA
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In-Reply-To: <CF021B54DF0@vcnet.vc.cvut.cz> <Pine.LNX.4.21.0011151454590.10690-100000@godzilla.spiteful.org>
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Copyright: Copyright 2000 H. Peter Anvin - All Rights Reserved
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Followup to:  <Pine.LNX.4.21.0011151454590.10690-100000@godzilla.spiteful.org>
By author:    Scott Murray <scott@spiteful.org>
In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
> > 
> > Oh. I did not compiled 11-test5, as G450 finally arrived ;-) OK,
> > I'll release patch for vmware, as I cannot stop kernel developers
> > from changing field names :-)
> 
> Actually, I know of at least one other shipping commercial product
> (Sitraka's JProbe Java Profiler) that will require patching because of
> this change.  It seems unwise to be changing field names in commonly
> used /proc files like cpuinfo at this point in time.
> 

The problem with "flags" is that it no longer contains quite the same
information.  Since the semantics of the field changed slightly,
changing the field name is sometimes more correct.

Also, if a piece of software needs raw CPUID information (unlike the
"cooked" one provided by recent kernels) it should use
/dev/cpu/*/cpuid.

	-hpa
-- 
<hpa@transmeta.com> at work, <hpa@zytor.com> in private!
"Unix gives you enough rope to shoot yourself in the foot."
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