Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

It would be intensely difficult technically for Apple to port XFS (perhaps not as bad as the rewrite to make it actually use Linux's VFS instead of implementing its own). It's also GPL — never going to happen for that reason alone.

As a longtime XFS user, I can tell you that it has pathological problems when used anywhere near a user's desktop: unlinking is abysmally slow (and even worse under rm -R). It also has a habit of delaying flush for way too long, both using up piles of kernel memory and making itself extremely vulnerable to power loss.




"It's also GPL — never going to happen for that reason alone"

If SGI has the copyright, they can still relicense it for use under OSX. I don't think Rackable would block this idea.


SGI has the full copyright to the version they initially released, but modern XFS has spent 8 years getting integrated into Linux by many independent contributors.


Ah yes, I'd forgotten it was GPL. Back to the 'ol drawing board...

I've an Octane at home, which is my main machine except in the summer when it makes my flat too warm :-)




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: