During the discussion on the Linux kernel schedulers, user Jonathan Danty complained that changes in the kernel broke an important third-party module — ZFS. Here’s what Torvalds replied:
Keep in mind that the thesis "we don't break users" applies to user space programs and the kernel I maintain. If you add a third-party module like ZFS, then you are on your own. I cannot support such modules, and I am not responsible for their maintenance.
And frankly, I see no chance of including ZFS in the kernel until I receive an official statement from Oracle, certified by their chief counsel or, better yet, by Larry Ellison himself, stating that everything is fine, and ZFS is now under GPL.
Some think that adding ZFS code to the kernel is a good idea, and that the module interface deals with it fine. Well, that’s their opinion. I don’t find such a solution reliable, considering Oracle’s contentious reputation and the licensing issues involved.
Therefore, I am absolutely not interested in things like "ZFS compatibility layers" that some believe isolate Linux and ZFS from each other. We gain nothing from these layers, and given Oracle's tendency to litigate over their interfaces — I don’t think this really resolves the licensing problems.
Don't use ZFS. That's it. In my opinion, ZFS is more of a buzzword than anything else. Licensing issues are just another reason why I will never deal with this FS.
All the performance benchmarks for ZFS that I’ve seen are completely unimpressive. And as I understand it, ZFS is not even properly maintained, and there’s no hint of long-term stability here. Why use it at all?
Source: linux.org.ru
