Re: [SD4L-devel] SD4L Development..

[R H. B. <arg...@ya...>]

Hello and welcome, Chris!

--- Christopher Wagner <wa...@st...> wrote:
>
> It seems there's been very little development on this project.  I saw a
> comment posted by Hans-Ulrich Juettner that stated he had made his own
> Linux kernel mode driver and interface for Scramdisk archives.  ...

Actually, your statement was probably more accurate prior to about April
of this year, however since then Ulrich has been kind enough to offer his
code to the SD4L project (which was really a project in name only prior to
that point).

You will notice a recent file release on the summary page (v0.8.4, 02-Oct-05)
which comprises his working Linux Scramdisk driver, tools and documentation.

I have been lax in updating the project webpage, and the project development
status to reflect the current situation.

> ... I'm highly
> interested in helping beta-test this, I don't have any real programming
> experience, but I'm interested to help move this along in any way I can. 

Any help or feedback you are willing to contribute would certainly be welcomed.
I certainly encourage you to download the current file release and try it out.

> I also feel that adding support for DriveCrypt containers could go a long
> way to increasing interest in this project.

I agree.  In fact, there are a number of interesting avenues that one might
explore.  However, one would first need to come up with a clear understanding
of the project's scope and purpose -- and how it fits into the larger body of
OTFE OSS currently available.  Also, naturally, it would depend upon the
amount of developer interest.

My initial goal for the SD4L project has been to generate/host a Linux driver
for Scramdisk containers, so that Linux would finally have the ability to
manipulate these containers.  Thanks to Ulrich's development efforts I believe
this goal has largely been met.  This development gives the encrypted Scramdisk
container a great deal more utility.  The codebase which Ulrich has written
can also now be used as a stepping stone to OSX on the Macintosh.  Once this
has been accomplished, the SD container will be portable between all major
contemporary platforms -- which would be a significant and valuable achievement.

Further efforts, however, would need to confront the inherent limitations of
the SD container structure.  I honestly have no well-developed thoughts on
the wisdom of pursuing these issues.

> Hans-Ulrich, feel free to get in contact with me at the above address and
> we can discuss beta-testing arrangements if you're still interested in
> doing that.  Potentially, if the project maintainers for SD4L are choosing
> to abandon the project, perhaps we could continue it either under the same
> project name or another?

I think it's fair to say that the project has moved forward slowly, and some
portions have been a bit neglected (mea culpa), but at the same time it *has*
moved forward thanks to Ulrich -- I have no intention to allow the project to
become abandoned, since I do feel it fulfills a useful function.

FWIW, I believe it would be useful to carry on any discussions on this list
regarding testing or further development -- that is its primary purpose!  ;-)

Thank you for your interest, Chris!

Hannes.



		
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