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Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional
From: |
Yoshinori K. Okuji |
Subject: |
Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional |
Date: |
Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:08:26 +0100 |
User-agent: |
KMail/1.8.2 |
On Thursday 07 December 2006 23:39, Hollis Blanchard wrote:
> I thought we had two options: embedding tags, or ORing bits into an
> embedded long. When I suggested embedding tags, you told me it was too
> complicated so will cause developer errors. Have I misunderstood?
I meant that the complexity of using bitfields plus a fixed-size structure is
identical to that of using tags. But I bet that it is more complicated to use
tags _by hand_. For me, "complex" and "complicated" are quite different.
Besides how to make it look easier by predefined macros, please consider the
spec itself. With bitfields and fixed-size fields, all you must remember is:
- What bits mean what
- How to order values passed to a boot loader
With tags, you need to remember:
- What tags mean what
- What tag size is expected to each tag
- What tags must be combined with a given tag
If you generate tags by programming, I don't think the use of tags is more
complicated. It can be even easier for a parser. However, when specifying
tags by hand, I cannot believe that it is as straightforward as using fields.
If you allow me to use a "big gun", I would tell you that most system
programmers are used to fields, while they are not familar with writing tags.
Okuji
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, (continued)
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Marco Gerards, 2006/12/04
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Hollis Blanchard, 2006/12/05
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Yoshinori K. Okuji, 2006/12/05
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Hollis Blanchard, 2006/12/07
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional,
Yoshinori K. Okuji <=
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Hollis Blanchard, 2006/12/12
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Yoshinori K. Okuji, 2006/12/13
- Re: multiboot2: make multiboot header optional, Marco Gerards, 2006/12/13