Re: Creating new interfaces for specific servers

[Thomas Bushnell, BSG]

Ludovic Courtès <ludovic.courtes@utbm.fr> writes:

> So, how should the Hurd handle functions required by specific servers where
> the existing interfaces (io, fs, socket¸ etc.) are not sufficient? For
> example, for an audio cd translator, it would be necessary to create a
> specific interface for playing CDs and so on.

There are two options: create a new interface, or use existing
read/write calls the way Plan 9 does.  Which is better is up to the
programmer, within the normal canons of good style and such.

> From my understanding, the current policy is to try not to have too many
> interfaces and to try as much as possible to use the existing one. Is it
> correct? If yes, to which extend should people avoid creating new interfaces?

That's not any kind of rule.  If a new interface would be a real
asset, then go ahead and start using one.  We always intended that we
would do our best to organize assignment of interface number blocks in
the file hurd/hurd/subsystems.

Thomas