[RFC] ARM VM System Sepcification

[Ian Campbell]

On Sat, 2014-03-22 at 12:23 +0000, Grant Likely wrote:
> That isn't actually my position. I absolutely think that VMs /should/
> implement persistent variables, but the variables are a property of a VM
> instance, not of the disk image. As far as this spec is concerned, I
> think portable disk images should operate under the assumption of an
> empty set of variables, and therefore follow the removable disk
> requirements in the UEFI spec.

Just to be sure I understand. You position is:
     1. A VM image downloaded from www.distro.org should neither contain
        nor expect any persistent variables to be present.
     2. After a VM image is instantiated into a specific VM instance and
        booted then it is at liberty to set persistent variables (either
        on first boot or as part of an upgrade) and the VM should ensure
        that those variables a retained over reboot for that specific
        instance.
     3. If a VM does not preserve those variables then the instance
        should have some sane functional fallback (implied by the
        removable disk requirements from the UEFI spec).

Is that right? I'm pretty sure you meant (1), reasonably sure you meant
(2) and not at all sure you meant (3) ;-)

Ian.