Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!rick
From: rick@uunet.UU.NET (Rick Adams)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: is this wise?
Summary: nicer still
Keywords: /dev/stdin, /dev/hosts
Message-ID: <53756@uunet.UU.NET>
Date: 3 May 89 22:10:09 GMT
References: <378@chessene.UUCP>
Organization: UUNET Communications Services, Falls Church, VA
Lines: 23

> f = fopen("/dev/hosts/uunet.uu.net/tcp/79", "r+");
> There. Isn't that much nicer than sockets?

Why not:
	f = tcp_open("uunet.uu.net", "finger", "r+w"):

That way the underlying structure doesn't matter. You can have
sockets, tli, streams, your filesytem like layout.

Why force the user to file name like contruct when it doesn't
fit nicely.

The tcp_open variation could even be run on a non-unix system
by only writing the tcp_open library routine.

After all, what you REALLY want is to open a tcp connection to
the finger port on uunet. I'd say my version makes that a LOT
clearer than deciphering the filename.

Abstractions are fine, but there no point in forcing tihngs that
dont fit.

---rick