"Mikhail Kuzminsky" <kus@free.net> writes:
In message from Andreas Jaeger <aj@suse.de> (Fri, 08 Oct 2004 17:37:22 +0200):
chu@tes-mail.jpl.nasa.gov (Eugene Chu) writes:
I think it is a basic requirement that the drivers of a 64 bit kernel must also be 64 bit. Exactly - you cannot have 32-bit and 64-bit software in one process and therefore not in the kernel, I agree that it's absolutely clear. But a bit more difficult is the question of "interoperability" of 64-bit kernel drivers w/32-bit software.
For example, after translation in 32-bit mode I receive 32-bit binary application software working w/ TCP/IP stack (or I have ready 32-bit binary application). Should I hope that it'll work w/64-bit TCP/IP stack in the kernel ?
The kernel is in a separate process and a 32-bit application can call the 64-bit kernel - there's some glue between to convert the arguments - and just those. The kernel will then execute in 64-bit on behalf of the 32-bit application, Andreas -- Andreas Jaeger, aj@suse.de, http://www.suse.de/~aj SUSE Linux AG, Maxfeldstr. 5, 90409 Nürnberg, Germany GPG fingerprint = 93A3 365E CE47 B889 DF7F FED1 389A 563C C272 A126