Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!caip!think!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!decwrl!sun!guy From: guy@sun.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix,net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Are links as useful as they could be? Message-ID: <8313@sun.uucp> Date: Mon, 20-Oct-86 12:55:57 EDT Article-I.D.: sun.8313 Posted: Mon Oct 20 12:55:57 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 21-Oct-86 06:49:51 EDT References: <21127@rochester.ARPA> <65@its63b.ed.ac.uk> <3739@umcp-cs.UUCP> <1059@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> Distribution: net Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. Lines: 19 Xref: watmath net.unix:9639 net.unix-wizards:20040 > Since Berkeley was making directory entries variable length > anyway, why didn't they just make symbolic links a variant > type of directory entry, containing a string instead of an > inode number? They might be twice the size of a normal > directory entry, but the time saved in not having to read > another inode would be a big win. Because that would have required non-trivial changes to programs that read directory entries, in order that they understand this new type of directory entry. The 4.2BSD file system changed the format of directory entries, but didn't really change their meaning; as far as an application reading the directory is concerned, they are still pairs. Converting a program to use the directory library is a mechanical, albeit not automated, operation. If this new "indirect" directory entry were introduced, the conversion process would no longer be mechanical. -- Guy Harris {ihnp4, decvax, seismo, decwrl, ...}!sun!guy guy@sun.com (or guy@sun.arpa)