OSABI on Linux Distros

[Suprateeka R Hegde]

On 13-Jun-2016 11:30 PM, Carlos O'Donell wrote:
> On 06/13/2016 11:57 AM, Suprateeka R Hegde wrote:
>> It depends on what you are considering here. You considered only
>> dynamic linker. I consider even non-GNU tools that reads ELF. When
>> such a tool encounters SYSV as the ABI, it cannot do much. However,
>> if the tool can see that the ELF has GNU extensions, then it can do
>> better job of dumping GNU specific ELF details.
>>
>> My actual question is what is the harm if we mark GNU ABI for *any*
>> GNU extension and not restrict it to a partial list.
>
> That's a much better question, but still doesn't yet get at the crux
> of your argument.

I thought the use cases are implicit. Sorry for the ambiguity.

>
> It might be said that it should be possible to identify the OS from
> the OSABI value in order to aid in the processing of PT_LOOS to
> PT_HIOS entries (GNU_EH_FRAME, GNU_STACK, GNU_RELRO)?
>
> Is that what you are thinking?

Yes. But not just to process PT_LOOS-PT_HIOS. On certain enterprise 
deployments there are necessities to sort or edit ELFs based on OS. 
OSABI is one of the quickest and safest/reliable way. There are more 
such use cases.

> I expect that entries between PT_LOOS to PT_HIOS are allowed to
> overlap between OSs?

Yes thats right. If they had to be unique, they could well be part of 
gABI itself.

--
Supra