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To: Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au>
cc: Garrett Wollman <wollman@khavrinen.lcs.mit.edu>,
        Robert Nordier <rnordier@FreeBSD.ORG>, cvs-committers@FreeBSD.ORG,
        cvs-all@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: cvs commit: src/sys/boot/i386/boot2 Makefile 
In-reply-to: Your message of "Wed, 14 Oct 1998 08:46:59 MST."
             <199810141546.IAA00919@dingo.cdrom.com> 
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 07:11:03 +0800
From: Peter Wemm <peter@netplex.com.au>
Sender: owner-cvs-all@FreeBSD.ORG
Precedence: bulk

Mike Smith wrote:
> > <<On Wed, 14 Oct 1998 08:19:15 -0700, Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> said:
> > 
> > > /usr/mdec is the wrong location.  Nothing belongs there, and the 
> > > directory itself should be removed.
> > 
> > Hello?!
> > 
> >      /usr/    contains the majority of user utilities and applications
> >               mdec/     boot programs; see disklabel(8)
> > 
> > I'd say something definitely DOES belong there -- the boot programs
> > installed by disklabel(8).
> 
> The directory is a wart.  It may be an historic wart, but it's still a
> wart.  Every other collection of application-specific data is collected
> elsewhere.  The existence of /usr/mdec causes not inconsiderable 
> confusion ("why there?" "what does 'mdec' mean?").
> 
> Boot programs that are read out of the filesystem belong in /boot.  
> Binary information that's used by disklabel belongs in /usr/libdata, 
> unless you want it on / for repair purposes, when /boot is a more 
> sensible place.

Boot programs are read out of /, /boot and the boot sectors at boot time.
Boot *blocks* that disklabel uses to install in the boot sectors are in
/usr/mdec.  disklabel has got this location hardcoded in it.  You have 
multiple choices of boot blocks and other programs (eg: dos executables, 
ROM images etc) that do not require wasting precious space on /.

Having them on /usr is not an issue.  Either you can boot the system or 
you cannot.  If you boot from floppy, then you can easily mount / and
/usr.  If /usr is destroyed as well as your bootblocks, the system is in a 
pretty sad state and installing the bootblocks isn't going to make the 
slightest difference to it's operational state - ie: still cactus.

Cheers,
-Peter




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