linux-kernel - Re: [RFC][5/11][MANUX] Kernel compatibility : major/minor numbers

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Date:	Tue, 15 Apr 2014 16:06:26 +0100
From:	One Thousand Gnomes <gnomes@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>
To:	Emmanuel Colbus <ecolbus@...ux.info>
Cc:	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [RFC][5/11][MANUX] Kernel compatibility : major/minor numbers

> In order to associate devices to their files, the Linux kernel uses
> their major and minor numbers. However, mine doesn't; instead, I've
> attributed myself a single group of values (major=0, minor=0, for both
> character-mode and block-mode special files), with the meaning (for the
> userspace) "you cannot identify the content of this file based on its
> major and minor numbers".

If you are using the Linux ABI then you'll hit cases (in particular tty
cases) where the ABI/API knows about major/minor numbers. In addition the
standards and common sense together pretty much imply that you need each
device to at least have a unique identifier.

Finally you need major/minor numbers to NFS serve to a diskless client.

Most Linux device numbering beyond that is basically dynamic so it
probably does't matter that much for things you concoct - providing in
som cases your /proc table of major numbers is right.

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