Re: networking device question

root (root@ohwig03.houston.omnes.net)
Fri, 14 Aug 1998 11:07:08 -0500 (CDT)

> > I was just wondering why we don't have /dev/xxx devices for networking
> > interfaces. i.e. /dev/eth0 or /dev/ppp0. especially, when we have interfaces
> > for everything else (scsi, ide, tty, sound, fb, etc...). wouldn't it be
> > possible to do things like user space networking (more easily) by starting
> > your ethernetd daemon up on /dev/eth0? I apologize if it's a stupid question
> > or a FAQ, but I've never heard it mentioned before.
> >
>
> Well, for networking we have the socket API instead, which doesn't
> work that way. It could have done so, but didn't.

I understand that we have alternates implementations (i.e. sockets),
what I was really interested in was if anybody knew the rational/history
behind this, and if it's a convention that we continue to use out of momentum,
or if there is actually decent rational behind it.

note: I'm DEFINATLY not trying to say anthing bad about the spiffy linux
networking crew, just curious as to the thoughts behind our current interface.

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