linux-kernel - Re: O_DIRECT question

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Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.64.0701112044070.3594@woody.osdl.org>
Date:	Thu, 11 Jan 2007 20:46:01 -0800 (PST)
From:	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...l.org>
To:	Nick Piggin <nickpiggin@...oo.com.au>
cc:	Bill Davidsen <davidsen@....com>, Andrew Morton <akpm@...l.org>,
	Hua Zhong <hzhong@...il.com>, Hugh Dickins <hugh@...itas.com>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, hch@...radead.org,
	kenneth.w.chen@...el.com, mjt@....msk.ru
Subject: Re: O_DIRECT question



On Fri, 12 Jan 2007, Nick Piggin wrote:
>
> We are talking about about fragmentation. And limiting pagecache to try to
> avoid fragmentation is a bandaid, especially when the problem can be solved
> (not just papered over, but solved) in userspace.

It's not clear that the problem _can_ be solved in user space.

It's easy enough to say "never allocate more than a page". But it's often 
not REALISTIC.

Very basic issue: the perfect is the enemy of the good. Claiming that 
there is a "proper solution" is usually a total red herring. Quite often 
there isn't, and the "paper over" is actually not papering over, it's 
quite possibly the best solution there is.

		Linus
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