FAT, NTFS, CIFS and DOS attributes

[H. Peter Anvin]

Michael B Allen wrote:
> 
>>b) if xattr is the right thing, shouldn't this be in the system
>>namespace rather than the user namespace?
> 
> If we're just thinking about MS-oriented discretionary access control then
> I think the owner of the file is basically king and should be the only
> normal user to that can read and write it's xattrs. So whatever namespace
> that is (not system).
> 

system namespace means that it's a name defined by the kernel as opposed 
to a name defined by the user.  One of the most glaring design errors in 
this whole thing, in my opinion, but if we're going to use xattrs we 
probably should stick with it.

Thus, I'd propose:

	system.dosattrib	- DOS attributes (single byte)
	system.dosshortname	- DOS short name (e.g. for VFAT)

	-hpa