Linux Kernel Finally Deprecating A.out Support

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux Kernel Finally Deprecating A.out Support

Linux has supported ELF binaries since the 1.x kernel days and now 25 years later, its support for the a.out file format is finally on the way out the door...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-Dropping-A.Out

[etam]

It was always confusing me that there are two things: "a.out" file format and "a.out" the default output file name for gcc. I assume they were related, just gcc changed file format without changing filename.

[eydee]

Moving to 100% ELF support. Elrond and Legolas agree.

[uid313]

Wikipedia have a comparison of executable file formats. ELF is much better than a.out.

ELF still does not natively support embedding a icon though. Only possible using an extension. Microsoft's PE32+ format supports icons.

[oiaohm]

Wikipedia have a comparison of executable file formats. ELF is much better than a.out.

ELF still does not natively support embedding a icon though. Only possible using an extension. Microsoft's PE32+ format supports icons.

Windows does not support executable being execute only either. It comes a little hard to have icons inside the executable and work when to the shell is able to read the executable because it execute only. This is why the .desktop file you can have that read without making the core of the executable read.

There are platform differences here so icons in elf files make limited sense due to security differences.

[George99]

I remember using a.out format built somewhat smaller files than ELF. There was a a.out specific gcc option -N to save even more disc space but I can't remember what it actually did.

[oiaohm]

I remember using a.out format built somewhat smaller files than ELF. There was a a.out specific gcc option -N to save even more disc space but I can't remember what it actually did.

https://www.muppetlabs.com/~breadbox/software/tiny/teensy.html

Really above is a good read. The smallest elf you can make that works is 45 bytes that is that is smaller than ELF format header of 64. Smallest functional A.out is also 45 bytes. Yes A.out has a smaller executable header at 32 bytes than ELF 64 executable header but you cannot put executable code inside that header a.out header so you have to put your 13 bytes of required asm for executable at the end resulting in the identical 45 byte value. This is one of the warped things.

You will never have a compiler naturally spit out a super optimised elf or a.out without some serous bashing.

[Weasel]

Windows does not support executable being execute only either. It comes a little hard to have icons inside the executable and work when to the shell is able to read the executable because it execute only. This is why the .desktop file you can have that read without making the core of the executable read.

There are platform differences here so icons in elf files make limited sense due to security differences.

Can you elaborate on what exactly you are talking about? (perhaps a link would help since your english isn't so good)

[Weasel]

Wikipedia have a comparison of executable file formats. ELF is much better than a.out.

ELF still does not natively support embedding a icon though. Only possible using an extension. Microsoft's PE32+ format supports icons.

Next step is for Linux to support PE natively. Even UEFI does it, and it's superior to ELF, so obviously if we are to pick just one executable format, PE makes the most sense.

Then we can finally be rid of the global namespace cancer. Yeah it will take decades but we have to start at some point.

[uid313]

Next step is for Linux to support PE natively. Even UEFI does it, and it's superior to ELF, so obviously if we are to pick just one executable format, PE makes the most sense.

Then we can finally be rid of the global namespace cancer. Yeah it will take decades but we have to start at some point.

Is PE really superior to ELF?
I thought that they were both pretty much roughly equivalent with none significantly better than the other.

What do you mean with global namespace cancer? How does this relate to namespaces?