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You need to be root to change binfmt_misc's configuration, so it's not analgous to Windows' file associations (which the user can also change). I also believe
by cyphar 9y ago
You need to be root to change binfmt_misc's configuration, so it's not analgous to Windows' file associations (which the user can also change).
I also believe that xdg-open (and the XDG scheme) is more similar to Windows' file associations than binfmt_misc, since XDG is more of a user-facing thing.
- LinuxBender 9y agoI believe you need to be a on an admin account in Windows to change global file associations. In fairness though, most people are logged in as an Administrator.
- auscompgeek 9y agoYou can also have user file associations on Windows though.
- LinuxBender 9y agoCertainly. I supposed the point I am trying to make is that a lot of old windows behaviors that lead to security incidents are finding their way into non-desktop linux machines. My servers have binfmt mounted, for example. SystemD appears to be bringing in a bit of desktop behavior to both desktops and servers. Maybe this is ok if people are aware?
- cyphar 9y agobinfmt_misc has existed for a much longer time than systemd (it was originally added in 1997[1]). It has been used for many features like emulating binaries "natively" by setting up binfmt_misc so that binaries are executed inside QEMU if the architecture is different. It has had many other similar uses for decades. I'm not a fan of systemd in the slightest, but blaming systemd for an in-kernel facility that has existed since the mid-90s (and isn't even used by systemd to my knowledge) doesn't make any sense. [1]: https://elixir.bootlin.com/linux/v4.15.7/source/fs/binfmt_misc.c https://elixir.bootlin.com/linux/v4.15.7/source/fs/binfmt_mi...