proposal: rename DLT_PRISM_HEADER

[David Young <dyoung () ojctech com>]

I propose to change the DLT_PRISM_HEADER semantics.  I am trying to
identify the stakeholders in such a change, to find out what they think.
I figure some of them read this list.

For DLT_PRISM_HEADER, libpcap expects a header that is a whopping 144
bytes long. It does not resemble any header a Prism radio will give,
so the name DLT_PRISM_HEADER for it is misleading.

Examining linux-wlan-ng and ethereal, the header actually consists of
length-type-value (LTV) tuples for received signal strength, PHY type,
and other radio parameters.  This seems like a stab at a generic 802.11
radio header. Why, then, is it not called DLT_IEEE802_11_RADIO, for
example? The former name is misleading.

I ask because I am adding to NetBSD a DLT whose header contains the
portions of the Prism header preceding the IEEE802.11 header.  I have
tentatively called it DLT_SHORT_PRISM_HEADER, to avoid clashing with
DLT_PRISM_HEADER, but I prefer to rename the old DLT_PRISM_HEADER
to DLT_IEEE802_11_RADIO, and to call the Prism-specific header
DLT_PRISM_HEADER.

Your thoughts?

Dave

-- 
David Young             OJC Technologies
dyoung () ojctech com      Engineering from the Right Brain
                        Urbana, IL * (217) 278-3933
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