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List:       linux-kernel
Subject:    Re: about 2.1.18 and modules
From:       Richard Henderson <richard () atheist ! tamu ! edu>
Date:       1996-12-31 2:54:48
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> So, out of curiosity, what improvements will the new subsystem offer
> over the older one?

 -- Integral, automatically collected symbol tables -- no need for 
    register_symtab or putting all of the X(foo)'s in one place.

 -- Type checked module parameters.

 -- Provisions for embedding documentation of parameters, device
    information, etc in the object file where it can be queried but
    not loaded at runtime.

 -- No limit on the length of exported symbol names.

 -- New query_module syscall replaces get_kernel_syms.  It will not
    overrun the buffer allocated to receive symbols, as well as 
    returning other information heretofore unavailable.

 -- More efficient with kernel memory.

 -- The parameter block given to init_module is extendable allowing
    for additional information to be added in the future without
    breaking binary compatibility.

And of course the big new feature from my point of view is that it
properly supports the Alpha.

Other than that, it is also intended to clean out the kruft that has
been accumulating since before 0.96 or so in both the kernel and user
mode utilities.


r~

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