linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] x86: Deprecate a.out support

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Date:   Mon, 11 Mar 2019 15:11:55 -0700
From:   Matt Turner <mattst88@...il.com>
To:     Arnd Bergmann <arnd@...db.de>
Cc:     Måns Rullgård <mans@...sr.com>,
        Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
        Borislav Petkov <bp@...en8.de>,
        Alan Cox <gnomes@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>,
        Matthew Wilcox <willy@...radead.org>,
        Jann Horn <jannh@...gle.com>,
        Al Viro <viro@...iv.linux.org.uk>,
        Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        kernel list <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        linux-fsdevel <linux-fsdevel@...r.kernel.org>,
        "the arch/x86 maintainers" <x86@...nel.org>,
        Linux API <linux-api@...r.kernel.org>,
        Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
        Richard Weinberger <richard@....at>,
        Anton Ivanov <anton.ivanov@...bridgegreys.com>,
        linux-alpha <linux-alpha@...r.kernel.org>,
        linux-m68k <linux-m68k@...ts.linux-m68k.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] x86: Deprecate a.out support

On Mon, Mar 11, 2019 at 2:34 PM Arnd Bergmann <arnd@...db.de> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Mar 11, 2019 at 8:47 PM Måns Rullgård <mans@...sr.com> wrote:
> > Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org> writes:
> > > On Mon, Mar 11, 2019 at 11:08 AM Måns Rullgård <mans@...sr.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> The latest version I have is 5.1, and that uses ECOFF.
> > >
> > > ECOFF _is_ a.out as far as Linux is concerned.
> > >
> > > So Linux basically treats ECOFF as "regular a.out with just some
> > > header extensions".
> > >
> > > We don't have any specific support for ECOFF.
> > >
> > > I _think_. Again, it's been years and years.
> >
> > Right, which is why killing a.out entirely would have the unfortunate
> > effect of also removing the OSF/1 compatibility on Alpha.
> >
> > If we are to support Alpha as an architecture at all, it makes sense to
> > support the things people actually use it for.
> >
> > Now, personally I can live without it.  I just don't like to see
> > features removed without due consideration.
>
> The main historic use case I've heard of was running Netscape
> Navigator on Alpha Linux, before there was an open source version.
> Doing this today to connect to the open internet is probably
> a bit pointless, but there may be other use cases.

The best use case I know of is to run their C compiler. Måns sent
patches in fact to make it work.

There is a Linux version of the same compiler but I have a vague
memory that it's broken in various ways that the Tru64 version is not.