Re: [Squashfs-devel] squashfs xattr support?

[Phillip L. <phi...@gm...>]

On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 10:04 AM, Helge Bahmann
<hel...@se...> wrote:
> Am Tuesday 20 April 2010 11:57:18 schrieb Phillip Lougher:
>> Stephen Hemminger wrote:
>> > Vyatta uses squashfs both for livecd and installed image mode, and in
>> > order to support SELinux properly we need xattr supported on squashfs.
>> >
>> > I know the current version of squashfs doesn't support xattr, and there
>> > are hints of future support. But we need it sooner, does anybody have a
>> > "back of the envelope" description of how they expect it to work
>> > (data formats etc), I am perfectly willing to fill in the missing code.
>>
>> I implemented most of the xattr support for Squashfs 4.0 in 2008, but
>> abandoned it to concentrate on getting Squashfs mainlined for 2.6.29.
>> The xattr file system format was defined and I had initial xattr support
>> in mksquashfs.  The major thing missing was kernel code...   Rather than
>> go through a fourth or fifth kernel code review process (the non-xattr
>> kernel code had successfully gone through three kernel reviews),
>> I submitted the non-xattr code for 2.6.29 and it was accepted.
>>
>> I can dig out the code and finish it off, looking at Helge's kernel patch
>> there's less work to do in the kernel than I anticipated.  Unfortunately
>> since mainlining no-one's asked for xattr support and consequently it's
>> been of less priority to finish than working on paid Squashfs work
>> (adding additional compression formats).
>
> ping? Any news on how you would like to proceed wrt xattrs?
>
> Are you going to implement them (any timeline)? Are you interested in taking my
> patches or having me change them in any ways?
>

It is on my high priority list, progress would have been made already except
I had some even more essential Squashfs work to do over the last couple of
days (tracking down some bugs which have come to light, ready for fixes to be
pushed to Linus ASAP).

> Or are you too busy (or not interested in the topic) and would prefer
> squashfs+xattr to be brought forward without any involvement on your part?

Come on are you being serious here?  Squashfs is a project I created
from scratch
and have worked on almost non-stop for over 8 years.  So what do you think?

Because I have spent so much time and effort on Squashfs, I care hugely about
it, it's performance and quality.  This is why I very rarely accept any patches
because they're rarely good enough.

> (I
> have certainly no problem in doing everything by myself and submitting for
> inclusion into Linux, but obtaining your acknowledgement is a matter of
> politeness.)
>

Wrong wrong wrong.

Obtaining my acknowledgement isn't just a matter of politeness, but essential.
I'm the maintainer of Squashfs in the kernel, and if anything major
went into the
Squashfs kernel code not through me, it would be a  clear violation.  This
applies doubly so for the squashfs-tools as I'm the only one (except my brother)
with commit rights.

If you don't like that tough, start your own project or fork it.  I
care too much about
Squashfs to allow a situation where any old crap gets put into Squashfs without
my say so.

Cheers

Phillip