Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!rufus!drake.almaden.ibm.com!drake From: drake@drake.almaden.ibm.com Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: Re: Frequently Asked Questions about Unix - with Answers [Monthly posting] Message-ID: <492@rufus.UUCP> Date: 4 Feb 91 17:48:17 GMT References: Sender: news@rufus.UUCP Organization: IBM Almaden Research Center Lines: 62 You know, it's things like this that let some folks believe UNIX is cryptic and difficult to use. Let's summarize the FAQs: 8) How do I find the name of an open file? You CAN'T! 11) How do I find out the creation time of a file? You CAN'T! 14) How do I {set an environment variable, change directory} inside a program or shell script and have that change affect my current shell? You CAN'T! 15) Why doesn't find's "{}" symbol do what I want? BECAUSE! 16) How do I redirect stdout and stderr separately in csh? You CAN'T! 17) How do I set the permissions on a symbolic link? You CAN'T! 21) How do I "undelete" a file? You CAN'T! 22) How can a process detect if it's running in the background? You CAN'T! 23) How can an executing program determine its own pathname? You CAN'T! 26) How do I use popen() to open a process for reading AND writing? You CAN'T! 27) How do I run 'passwd', 'ftp', 'telnet', 'tip' and other interactive programs from a shell script or in the background? You CAN'T! 28) How do I sleep() in a C program for less than one second? 29) How can I get setuid shell scripts to work? Hopefully You CAN'T! I guess it's useful to gather all our dirty laundry into a single monthly posting ... but it's a rather sad thing to see. Sam Drake / IBM Almaden Research Center Internet: drake@ibm.com BITNET: DRAKE at ALMADEN Usenet: ...!uunet!ibmarc!drake Phone: (408) 927-1861