Re: [Bug-ddrescue] [PATCH] Add proper device size and name detection on Haiku

[Antonio Diaz Diaz]

Hello Felix,

Felix Ehlermann wrote:
> wouldn't it be possible to implement some kind of plug-in support in
> ddrescue?

Sure it would be possible, but I see no reason to do it.

There are two kinds of platform-specific code that people want to add to 
ddrescue; code that compensates shortcomings in the POSIX implementation 
of a given OS, and code that provides functionality beyond POSIX.

Of the first kind I am only willing to accept trivial additions, like 
the one for O_BINARY:

  #ifndef O_BINARY
  #define O_BINARY 0
  #endif

Haiku, for example, has chosen to be compatible with BeOS at both the 
source and binary level, allowing software written and compiled for BeOS 
to be compiled and run without modification on Haiku. Therefore the only 
ways for ddrescue to run on Haiku are:

a) Haiku implements properly the parts of POSIX that ddrescue needs.
b) Haiku maintains its own port of ddrescue, as it does with GCC[1].

It is not my fault that OS development has happened in total chaos (just 
like most human enterprises).

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku_(operating_system)#Compatibility_with_BeOS


About the second kind of code additions (providing functionality beyond 
POSIX), mi intention is to implement each feature just once, in the way 
that is best and most probable to be eventualy included in POSIX (by 
default the one working on GNU/Linux).

BTW, the case you propose as an example (send some device specific 
commands to disable bad sector relocation before ddrescue continues with 
its usual operation) can (and should) be done using a separate tool like 
hdparm.


Best regards,
Antonio.