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From: Szakacsits S. <sz...@si...> - 2004-05-12 02:32:51
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On Tue, 11 May 2004, Richard Russon wrote: > Hi guys, Hi, nice to see you again :) > > > > It also allows work on access time updating to start. And if anyone > > > > is so inclined directory writing code can start to be added. > > Over the last week, I've been trying to turn my directory notes into > code. There's not really anything to see yet - just some hacked up > userspace code to represent the index root and alloc. Sounds cool! > What state is the code to manipulate MFT records? I'd like to be able > to add a record, e.g. INDEX_ALLOC, change the size of a record, e.g. > INDEX_ROOT and be able to ask how much space is free (in the record). Anton could comment in detail. I think there is no add/delete but IMHO they shouldn't be difficult unless AT_ATTRIBUTE_LIST is needed. AFAIK resize is close to OK. [the incomplete] ntfstruncate needed these. > If anyone's interested, I wrote up my notes ages ago (with pictures): > http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/ntfs/concepts/tree/index.html > See the add/del pages, too. Thanks, I'm sure people are interested ;-) I'll definitely check it out. > IMHO, the news needs to be less formal, What do you exactly mean? IMHO some problem with the news are, - sometimes it's misssing items (see e.g. the recent 2.4 and 2.6 driver releases) - usually it's about only software releases, except when you were adding other news (e.g. FAQ translations) - the 4 items list is too short, there could be a bit more and maybe old history > and needs tell people how we're getting on. Definitely. And perhaps who is working on different parts (mostly nobody). My impression is that people are not aware how huge is this task. IMHO NTFS could be compared only with XFS or Reiser4. Both are worked on by 6-8 people, full time. NTFS moreover also undocumented, officially - and some parts still even unofficially ... > At the moment we have quite a lots of page hits, 330,000 a month and soon 5 million total. > We keep scaring people off. How? If we know we could try to address it. > Beginners don't want to do the boring tasks and they can't manage the > sexy stuff. If we explained why a "boring task" is important and actually it is part of a sexy stuff then it maybe wouldn't look so boring anymore. We chould lists many tasks, explain why they are important and let people choose what they prefer. However I'm aware that even preparing such a list isn't trivial. So the first task could be: make a tasks list. > > Not necessarily kernel coding but also updating, cleaning > > documentation, web pages, testing, etc. > Yes, great. And I think that replacing the help forums with a wiki > would be a step forward. The wiki sounds a very good idea! But I think an adequate forum is also needed. I dislike them (though they are still better than Anton's unreadable quoted-printable emails ;) but most people who need help apparently like it. Far the most popular seems to be http://www.phpbb.com/ I don't know if it can be [two-way] gatewayed with mailing lists. > Get a community rather than a few individuals. But... who's going to > _manage_ all that. It won't just happen on its own. It won't. First we would need to know what exactly needs to be managed and either somebody (or more people) accepts it or it goes to the task list for potential helpers in the future. > tools are useful, but people want write support Some tools are needed to "support" write support: mkntfs, ntfsck, ntfsdb (debugger, editor), test suite. We have mkntfs. I'm close to convert and rip off the consistency check part from ntfsresize to reusable functions (for ntfsck, ntfsclone, etc). But no ntfsdb (ntfsinfo could develop to that direction?) and test suite (mine is totally ntfsresize focused). > suggestions? (in no particular order) > > stop ntfsprogs devel I think the above tools are needed. ntfsprogs is also an easy and "safe" playground, as Anton is wont to say. > campaign for money (to work full time) IMHO this needs a serious project plan or good luck. > close the mailing lists ??? > give priority to driver I think it has priority. > a big PR campaign > recruitment drive > campaign for developers (to spread the load) Yes but perhaps not before a detailed project plan. > give up Sorry, this one is exceptionally rejected :) Cheers, Szaka |
