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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Linus Torvalds Begins Expressing Regrets Merging Bcachefs (www.phoronix.com)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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There's been some Friday night kernel drama on the Linux kernel mailing list... Linus Torvalds has expressed regrets for merging the Bcachefs file-system and an ensuing back-and-forth between the file-system maintainer.

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[–] [email protected] -3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (4 children)

I think we're just talking about different priorities. For me stability is the most important in production. For you features seem to matter more. For me it's enough if a file system can store, write, read and not lose files. I guess it depends on what the use case and the budget are.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago

Yeah, some people have needs that you don't have. That's why I commented on your blanket statement of just use EXT4.

I have BTRFS in production all over the place. Snapshots are extremely useful for what I do.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

ext4 aims to not lose data under the assumption that the single underlying drive is reliable. btrfs/bcachefs/ZFS assume that one/many of the perhaps dozens of underlying drives could fail entirely or start returning garbage at any time, and try to ensure that the bad drive can be kicked out and replaced without losing any data or interrupting the system. They're both aiming for stability, but stability requirements are much different at scale than a "dumb" filesystem can offer, because once you have enough drives one of them WILL fail and ext4 cannot save you in that situation.

Complaining that datacenter-grade filesystems are unreliable when using them in your home computer is like removing all but one of the engines from a 747 and then complaining that it's prone to crashing. Of course it is, because it was designed under the assumption that there would be redundancy.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

and not lose files

Which is exactly why you'd want to run a CoW filesystem with redundancy.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Well, yes use-case is key. But interestingly ext4 will never detect bitrot/errors/corruption. BTRFS will detect corrupted files because its targeted users wants to know. It makes it difficult to say what's the more reliable FS because first we'd have to define "reliable" and the perception of it and who/what do we blame when the FS tells us there's a corrupted file detected?. Do we shoot the messenger?