Re: Bug#62699: cdparanoia should check/create the /dev/sg* devices that it requires.
On Thu, 20 Apr 2000, Dale E. Martin wrote:
> "Alan W. Irwin" <irwin@beluga.phys.uvic.ca> writes:
>
> > Package: cdparanoia
> > Version: 3a9.7-2
> > Severity: wishlist
> >
> > The cdparanoia install should check that the /dev/sg* devices that it
> > requires are available with proper ownership (root.cdrom) and
> > permissions.
>
> [Cced to debian-devel to see if others have input. I'm not currently
> subscribed to debian-devel so I'd appreciate replies Cced back to me.]
>
> This is an interesting idea. I would like to point out, however, that
> the /dev/sg devices are only required if you're using a SCSI cdrom drive
> or SCSI emulation on an IDE drive. I used cdparanoia for several years
> with /dev/hd? devices and it worked OK. (Using SCSI emulation does work
> better though.) I don't see any harm in creating those devices,
> although changing the ownership if they exist might be a little shady.
> Also, there could be other SCSI devices the "cdrom" group shouldn't have
> access to.
These are legitimate concerns. So I suggest automatic creation with the
correct ownerships and permissions if none of the /dev/sg* devices exist. If
any of the /dev/sg* devices exist with the wrong ownership/permissions for
cdparanoia to work then perhaps a warning message should be issued that the
user is going to have to straighten this out.
>
> Some other concerns:
> 1) I don't have any idea what infrastructure already exists for such a
> feature. Are there special Debian install tools dealing with the
> creation of devices?
I don't know. However, you might want to check what cdrecord does in this
case since I understand (although haven't tried it yet) that package must
use the /dev/sg* devices.
>
> 2) Linux 2.4 is just around the corner. It contains Richard Gooch's
> "devfs" which I think makes the whole issue of "/dev" go away. I
> haven't played with it yet to be sure how it works though.
If you read Kernel Traffic Newsletter there is a simmering flame war over
this with Linus on Richard's side and virtually everybody else either
against it or regretfully going along. This week's LWN has a discussion of
this on-going dispute. My understanding is that the /dev system can be
emulated under devfs so that may be what most packages continue to use for
2.4.
>
> Anyways, thanks for the idea.
My pleasure, and all the best,
Alan W. Irwin
email: irwin@beluga.phys.uvic.ca
phone: 250-727-2902 FAX: 250-721-7715
snail-mail:
Dr. Alan W. Irwin
Department of Physics and Astronomy,
University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3055,
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8W 3P6
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