linux-kernel - Re: RFC: running out of x86 boot loader IDs

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Message-ID: <49824BFA.3000203@zytor.com>
Date:	Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:38:18 -0800
From:	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
To:	Mikael Pettersson <mikpe@...uu.se>
CC:	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>, x86@...nel.org
Subject: Re: RFC: running out of x86 boot loader IDs

Mikael Pettersson wrote:
> Why do we need a boot loader id at all? The purpose of a boot loader,
> whatever it may be, is to load the kernel according to certain protocols.
> Once that's done, why would the kernel care who/what loaded it?

A couple of reasons...

a) Bugs happen.  Sometimes bugs are latent, and we later find ourselves
    in an unenviable position of not being able to work around a problem
    unless we know that we were loaded by <loader X> with <problem Y>.
b) Distro installers or other distro components sometimes find this
    useful.

	-hpa
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