why doesn't the kernel enforce oplocks? (was: Re: [Samba] Re: How Samba let us down)

[jra at dp.samba.org]

On Thu, Oct 24, 2002 at 01:59:42PM -0700, Ben Johnson wrote:

> A kernel supported api for locking files (maybe with timeouts and mutex
> values) that actually enforced the file locks, instead of relying on
> applications to be friendly to one another might (I think would) make
> programming some user space apps a lot easier.
> 
> Samba could take advantage of such an api to make oplocks safe even when
> the files in the filesystem are being accessed and modified by other
> applications on the system.

But you're describing the kernal oplock api ! :-). We agree, that's why
it got added for Linux :-).

Jeremy.