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Date:      19 Mar 2002 20:35:08 +0100
From:      Dag-Erling Smorgrav <des@ofug.org>
To:        Quincey Koziol <koziol@ncsa.uiuc.edu>
Cc:        freebsd-fs@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Filesystem books?
Message-ID:  <xzp4rjc8i6r.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no>
In-Reply-To: <200203190542.g2J5gJi04830@sleipnir.ncsa.uiuc.edu>
References:  <200203190542.g2J5gJi04830@sleipnir.ncsa.uiuc.edu>

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Quincey Koziol <koziol@ncsa.uiuc.edu> writes:
> > This basically looks like strongly typed filesystem - you could build
> > this on top of any existing filesystem in FreeBSD using extended
> > attributes and a userland library.  Storing it in a single XML file is
> > IMHO a regression, especially from a performance standpoint.  Or did I
> > miss some crucial point?
>     Sorta, the crucial part of the HDF5 library and file format is that the
> files and library are designed to be portable between many different types
> of machines,

...so you end up with something that sucks equally on all supported
platforms.  Sorry to sound so negative :)

I'm not sure if I got my point across, BTW - what I'm saying is that
you can implement HDF (or equivalent functionality, anyway) as a
userland library that will run on any system that offers POSIX
filesystem semantics and (non-POSIX) extended attributes, instead of
reinventing the wheel just to end up with something that will crawl
like a crippled snail.  It might not look as cool on your CV when
you're done (not enough buzzwords) but it'd be a damn sight more
useful.  The biggest hurdle would be adapting the library to the
different EA APIs out there.

That being said, HDF makes a neat interchange format, once you get rid
of the silly limitations on object size & count.

DES
-- 
Dag-Erling Smorgrav - des@ofug.org

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