Re: [Fedora-spins] The magic 4GiB squashfs filesize limit
Bruno Wolff III wrote:
On Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 12:12:09 +0100,
Jeroen van Meeuwen <kanarip(a)kanarip.com> wrote:
> Note that it really is the .iso file size we're talking about, and we
> really don't care about the >4GB squashfs image; it just so happens that
> if the contents of a .iso go >4GB, the .iso will go >4GB ;-)
I think this should have said if the squashfs image is over 4 GiB, then
the iso will definitely be over 4 GiB.
Yes, it should have said exactly that ;-)
> This particular issue is raised by the Games Spin, which I
consider one
> of the first downloads for a Windows user who may or may not be using
> vfat still. Lots of (Windows) people want to see what Games are
> available on Linux, right? A relatively greater portion of these Windows
> users (then say, Linux users) may still be using vfat, and that's what
> I'm concerned with.
Are there people that have a feel of what fraction of Windows users are using
vfat for their C: drive?
> I wanted to vote on this during our last meeting. Either we block >4GB
> spins, or we allow them. So, the vote becomes: Do we allow .iso files
> over 4GB?
I believe that this was just going to apply to published iso's. My
understanding is that it would be possible to pubished kickstart files
that will require more space.
Yes, the question is what the Fedora Project wants to release officially.
With the change to livecd-tools now in rawhide, it will be possible
for
the squashfs file system to be over 4 GiB (by using udf instead of iso9660
for the iso image). Most common DVD burning formats allow at least 4.7GB to
be put a the DVD. This would allow about another 300MB to be added to an iso
image (over the current limit) and still have it fit on a DVD.
For the games spin in particular exceeding the 4 GiB limit has benefits.
I need to either cut a single large game that probably is a good example of
what can be done on Fedora, several smaller games, or a good chunk of
the desktop add ons over the base image.
Its hard for me to judge the trade off as I don't know how common vfat is
for Windows users system drives. And the subset of users prone to trying
Fedora iso's may not be representative of all Windows users.
USB flash drives are typically formated with vfat, but I don't think people
are likely to download directly to a USB drive and if they want a portal
way to move around a DVD image, the expected way to do that is on a DVD.
LiveUSB however is going to have the squashfs on the USB stick, probably
on vfat. I think this is an additional consideration we should make
regarding a general guideline of <= 4GB spins or > 4GB spins.
Kind regards,
Jeroen van Meeuwen
-kanarip