Re: DEVFSv50 and /dev/fb? (or /dev/fb/? ???)

Kragen (kragen@pobox.com)
Fri, 7 Aug 1998 11:40:38 -0400 (EDT)


On Fri, 7 Aug 1998, Stephen Frost wrote:
> On Fri, 7 Aug 1998, Kragen wrote:
> > /dev/sda1 is /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s0
> > /dev/sdb2 is /dev/dsk/c0t1d0s1
>
> I'm not sure how dev_fs works, but if I understand correctly,
> it provides for backwards compatibility already...

Yes, it does. I was proposing that we use a single naming scheme with
conceptual unity and simplicity, instead of having a cryptic "advanced"
naming scheme and a simple "backwards-compatible" naming scheme.
Instead, we could have a single naming scheme in which names get
gradually more complex as you do more arcane things with your machine.

The devfs method reminds me of pasted-on GUIs. As long as you're doing
something simple, you can use the pasted-on GUI, but when you want to
do something more difficult, suddenly you're thrust into the
command-line world where everything is totally different. I think this
is an abomination.

> > /dev/sd_c1_a1 is /dev/dsk/c1t0d0s0
> > /dev/sda_d1_ is /dev/dsk/c0t0d1*
>
> I don't really see the point in using /dev/sd_*, if I understand
> correctly it isn't currently supported that way and, well, at least to me
> it looks ugly, if we're going to do something new, let's just do it right.

Well, it does look pretty ugly. (I think it's not as bad as Solaris's
/dev/dsk, but maybe you disagree.)

> > (I think devfs is a really good idea. But I like Plan9, too.)
>
> No clue what 'Plan9' is...

It's an OS that uses something similar to devfs for its devices. I
think you can find more information about it at plan9.bell-labs.com
when it's up.

Kragen

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