Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-sdd!hp-pcd!hpcvca!charles
From: charles@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM (Charles Brown)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.tech
Subject: Re: links - forget UNIX; what about AMIGA?
Message-ID: <1410031@hpcvca.CV.HP.COM>
Date: 12 Sep 89 00:53:35 GMT
References: <14187@netnews.upenn.edu>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, Oregon
Lines: 50

> ...  Now, if we throw in symbolic links, this gunk
> can effectively be ANYWHERE in the filesystem.  I can stick a serial
> port in my devs:keymaps directory if I want just by typing
> 	ln -s ser: "devs:keymaps/why a serial port?"
> This isn't just an extension of UNIX links, this is something entirely
> different, because a handler is user-installable.  In essense, as long
> as you 'mount' the right things, you can link arbitrary processes to
> arbitrary filenames.  If you want automatic decompression of a file,
> just write an uncompress handler and 

I did not respond to your previous posting on this subject.  Frankly
it was mind boggling.  I was not sure it could be easily implemented
because it assumes that the symbolic link will not just be followed
(as happens with such links under Unix) but will be parsed and
possibly be executed as a program.  This is definely a powerful
concept.  However I think in this case it is too powerful.

> How about a booby-trapped file?  Now much easier to write:
> 	ln -s "AREXX:address command run <nil: >nil: format dh0: 
> 	       name GOTCHA!" ReadMe

This scares me.  I am already nervous about sticking unknown disks
into my Amiga.  But I can protect myself with a few measures:
  1.  Never boot from a disk I have not Installed.
  2.  Keep CD and DIR resident so that the C: versions are effectively
      first on the path.  (This is a frustration I have with c:Path.
      It should NOT assume I want the current directory first on my
      path.  In fact I NEVER want the current directory first.)
  3.  Be selective about who's executables I run.
With these restrictions I am free to peruse a foreign disk without
fear of infection.  Generally what I am most interested in is looking
at sources.

But with your proposal I would no longer be safe to peruse these
files.  Just LOOKING at a "file" has the possibility of infecting my
Amiga.  No thanks.

> Alright!  Let's have some comments.  Please?
> 	- Ranjit

I like some of the possibilities.  But on the whole I don't trust
others enough to want this on my system.  Its like leaving the front
door of my house open when I leave.  Sure, it would make it easier for
the maid to get in to clean up (if I had a maid :-).  But it also lets
in all kinds of dishonest people.  Lets just stick with the idea of
regular symbolic links.
--
	Charles Brown	charles@cv.hp.com or charles%hpcvca@hplabs.hp.com
			or hplabs!hpcvca!charles or "Hey you!"
	Not representing my employer.