Re: Getting processor description from sysctl
Re: Getting processor description from sysctl
- Subject: Re: Getting processor description from sysctl
- From: Terry Lambert <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 19 May 2008 03:59:50 -0700
On May 16, 2008, at 12:50 PM, "Jordan K. Hubbard" <email@hidden> wrote:
On May 16, 2008, at 10:29 AM, Finlay Dobbie wrote:
In this particular instance, it may very well be the case that
parsing
the XML output of system_profiler is the best option. My general
point
was that this is probably more fragile than a supported API would be,
and it would be nice if the format of the XML (what keys there are,
etc) was documented (like launchd.plist(5) for example) so there was
at least some sort of vague nod from the "powers that be" that this
is
an OK thing to do - because, in general, parsing the output of the
tools is regarded as fragile.
... And I think that's a perfectly fair request and certainly easier
for us [Apple] than creating new API in those cases where the design
and sustainability of said API isn't clear at all. Do you have a
radar filed against the ASP folks to document the output of
system_profiler(8)?
While we're on the subject of API that isn't particularly well-
designed or sustainable... If anyone has any ideas on how to
replace (or supplement) sysctl(3) with something that overcomes all
its obvious warts without also causing people to scream "Aaaaah!
It's the Windows Registry! Ported over here to kill us all!", I'm
all ears (or eyeballs). Terry and I are both old enough to remember
the genesis of sysctl(3) in BSD as a "small number of simple knobs"
mechanism and we both know that what we have today represents an
over-usage of it to the point that it's been stretched well beyond
its original design goals. It represents a problem to be fixed, and
one that could conceivably be fixed in any number of ways, which is
in itself a problem: Which is the "right" way?
One obvious idea is to start with the new DSLocal store and make it
a type of directory service, but there's a few non-obvious steps
between there and step 3, Profit!, including the staying-away-from-
the-Windows-Registry one mentioned earlier. Other, better, ideas
may be less obvious to me.
- Jordan
It was intended to be a hook for SNMP.
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