Mageia Default Btrfs please

[PietroTux88]

I hope mageia 2 have btrfs how default for grub

[isadora]

PietroTux88, i am very curious for what reason(s).
Maybe available as a free choice, but not as default.
Or do you mean something else?

Anyway, found some nice article about several Linux-filesystems:
http://www.ilsistemista.net/index.php/l ... btrfs.html

[ghmitch]

The ONE problem with btrfs at this point is the lack of fsck functionality. This means it is DOA for serious consideration on a production system. - George

[PietroTux88]

ok thanks. i belive btrfs be best for mageia and mandriva

[doktor5000]

Do you have any facts, that this is better and more stable than ext4 for the most use cases?

[ghmitch]

I am currently running hardware RAID on my systems. I would gladly replace it with btrfs. btrfs is not "better" than ext4. But btrfs is extremely feature rich as compared to ext4. It in includes, most importantly, things like data checksumming, builtin RAID functionality, real time defragmentation, flexible real time dynamic and on demand sizing of filesystems and partitions, transparent data compression, built in backup capabilities, etc. with more on the way such as online fsck. Oracle devs are almost done with btrfs fsck function and when they are the land rush is on. It is the one critical function holding things up. btrfs will make file system administration suddenly a whole lot easier. Hopefully btrfs-gui will develop quickly as well to provide easy access to some of the more arcane btrfs features. But until btrfs has a production ready fsck recovery tool, nobody in their right mind should be using it in a production environment. It should be being released any time now. - George

[isadora]

Thank you ghmitch, that is motivation for a choice.
I will keep an eye on developments concerning btrfs.

[ghmitch]

One correction. In terms of resizing, I should have used the term "file systems and volumes" instead of "file systems and partitions". File systems are now flexible since with btrfs they can span and merge multiple partitions on multiple hard drives and volumes are flexible within those expandable file systems. Partitions, on the other hand still exist and are as inflexible as ever. At least this is my understanding of how it works at this point. Anyone feel free to correct me if I've still got this wrong. - George

[zooplah]

The ONE problem with btrfs at this point is the lack of fsck functionality. This means it is DOA for serious consideration on a production system. - George

Yeah, that's my understanding. As soon as they get fsck functionality, I don't see why not, except it seems to me that the very concept of checksumming would take up more disk space.

[rijnsma]

I have PCLOS on this machine (MBR, Grub, ext3), LMDE (Grub2, ext4) en a few Ubuntu-Debian-like OS-es
(also Mint) on ext3 Grub2 pointing to their own partition..
Still I don't see the big fun of ext4 and certainly not of Grub2 which is not compat with Grub.
And what is so nice of btrfs? I can manage a system like I have, but that is not the case for everybody.
Ext3 is doing right for me.

Why do I have a multiboot-system?
It is necessary to experiment whith other distro's if one has to avoid problems in the several tastes of Linux there are...
The VM shows not everything and most annoyances show only over time.
And I do have to do my work with it.
That's why I have a multiboot-config. (How do I go on when Gnome2 becomes the hated Gnome3? Unity?
And earlier KDE3.5 to KDE4 ...!)
So I'm searching my alternatives (Flux, Openbox, Xfce, Lxde et.) Very nice experimenting with some partitions left.

Never forget one scares a lot of people away when changing these basics like filesystems, boot, Desktops etc..
I think MS will cheer it, but I don't.
When we like to chase everybody to the handhelds and netbooks: proceed. Else: keep it simple I would suggest,
unless it is really, really better.

[ghmitch]

I, for one, will be switching to btrfs as soon as it is stable, since it will allow me to expand my file systems without the expense of more RAID hardware and I will be switching to grub2 as soon as Mageia makes it available since grub is no longer being maintained and grub2 has some really major improvements like being able to use simple partition LABELS rather than the goofy hd0,1 stuff which is confusing and imprecise. I realize that no one likes to be the first to make the switch because of compatibility reasons, but that is holding everything back in the stone ages. Cheers to Ubuntu which has made the leap on grub2. - George

[rijnsma]

Partition labels are always possible. Also with Grub1.
Grub1 does not need to be maintained. Works on its own and is good like it is.
'The people' don´t understand over and over change of filesystems and bootlaoders.
They are turning to Windows or (many) handhelds, Ipads, netbooks.
No more thinking, you see?

It is dangerous for Linux. Better wait till all is right and do it in one time.
And there is no 'stone ages' in my opinion. There IS change because of the change with some people...

[ghmitch]

Grub1 does *not* recognize partition labels and that is a problem on larger machine architectures. Grub1 also cannot accommodate hard drives over 2TB because it cannot read GPT which is required for large hard drives. You may have a small system where that is not a problem but some of us do not enjoy that luxury. For those who don't want change, grub1 can be included as an option. Windows is hardly standing still. They are forcing things like Metro interface on people as default and I can guarantee you Windows users are not going to change to Linux because of that. They are also forcing secure boot on people as well which is a lot more disruptive than grub1 to grub2 change. If you don't like change for change sake, simply don't upgrade your system and you won't have to deal with anything new.

[rijnsma]

O.k.

Question: What is 'secure boot'?

[doktor5000]

Question: What is 'secure boot'?

A "feature" of coming Windows 8.
Check: http://arstechnica.com/business/news/20 ... stalls.ars

[ruel24]

Folks, I vote we stay with ext4 for right now. When btrfs matures, then we can discuss it further.

[rijnsma]

Folks, I vote we stay with ext4 for right now. When btrfs matures, then we can discuss it further.

I use ext3. But go ahead. I'll still use ext3.

[rijnsma]

Question: What is 'secure boot'?

A "feature" of coming Windows 8.
Check: http://arstechnica.com/business/news/20 ... stalls.ars

No problem. I stopped using MS about 7, 8 years ago.
And for me it has not much meaning to use Windows and Linux on one machine. So it is Linux here.

Future problem is: dev's tend to make Linux too difficult for 'the people' with all kinds of Grubs, Filesystems etc..
And the Linux-desktop too is becoming something else like we had for years and years. Goodbye nice desktop if we
are less lucky. It must have something to do with reducing costs?!?

In this case I hope not, but I fear Linux for the desktop will dy over time. And we all know what that means with
Apple en MS around the corner...

But maybe I'm too pessimistic.

[ghmitch]

The new secure boot hardware will become universal because that is where Microsoft is driving the PC hardware business. Grub will not boot on this new hardware. Grub2 will. Any distro that does not use grub2 will not be able to be installed on new computer hardware period. It will be relegated to legacy PC hardware.

[wobo]

Has there been a special sales action in crystal balls somewhere? Outside of politics I haven't read so many "this will be" and "that will come" all based on assumptions what could happen.

I hope Mageia devels will not fall for those assumptions, will not rush anything regarding grub2 as well as btrfs.