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Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2001 11:17:48 -0800
From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@zytor.com>
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To: "T. A." <tkhoadfdsaf@hotmail.com>
CC: Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: tar vs cpio (was: Booting a modular kernel through a multiple streams file)
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T. A. wrote:

>     What about considering one of the simpler filesystems or archive formats
> instead?  How much "Unix"-ism is required to be retained in the archive?
> (permissions, device files, etc?)
> 


They're MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH worse.  Don't even think abou it.


>     As for the bigendianness... Is it really relevant since each kernel is
> tied to its own platform?  And if it is may it be better to use the native
> format of the 98% or so of the Linux machines out there which are
> littleendian (performance and ease of general access on the majority of host
> machines comes to mind).


This was discussed recently... doing a nonportable format is begging for 
problems.  The only reason I'm suggesting bigendian is that conversion 
to bigendian macros are more widely available in the form of the 
standard hton macros.

	-hpa





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