Re: [Sheflug] listing sizes of directories..

[Alex Hudson <nospam [at] id-pro.co.uk>]

"Stephen J. Turnbull" wrote:
>     Al> Such as datestamp.. what should it be? Date last modified?
>     Al> Date last accessed? Date last updated?
> This is well-defined.  See ls(1).

ls is surely one of the more lightweight man pages? I know what you
mean, though, and I know it has a standard definition currently, I was
more asking the question whether or not the current definition holds
properly with different types of filesystem we may want - virtual, etc.
- because if it doesn't, as you say, the new bit in question is not part
of the 'filesystem'. However, we can get around this issue by redefining
'filesystem' ;)

>     Al> The information in /proc is never out of date (i.e., it's
>     Al> always current), thus the datestamp is 'now'. If it can never
>     Al> change, maybe 'zero' is correct? Dunno...
> Um, no, that's not how these things work.  Those stamps are based on
> accesses to directory info (open, close, etc).  They're well-defined.
> The reason size is not well-defined is that size is a property not of
> the directory entry, but of some external entity.

Sorry, I've changed subject without telling you ;) I was referring to
the *files* within /proc, not the directory itself. Obviously, the
directory usually has a timestamp for when it was created. I was
thinking more about the semantics of 'pushing' information (i.e.,
writing regularly to a proc file to keep it up to date) not being vastly
different to a 'pull' system (i.e., dumping out the internal variables
the proc file refers to in a standard manner upon a read()).

>   >> If you want other semantics, fine, but don't call it a
>   >> filesystem then.  What's wrong with COM0:, D:, and ETH0:,
>   >> anyway?  ;-)
> Al> Plan9 users would probably have well rehearsed arguments,
> Al> myself, I don't really care ;))
> 
> You're the guy who wants versions to go away, no?  Well, if you don't
> fix the semantics, the versions will definitely not go away....

If I don't fix them? Personally? ;))) I don't care whether version
numbers go away or not; I just don't want to have to interact with them
;)

Alex.

-- 
Alex Hudson <hudson [at] ID-PRO.co.uk> * Open Source I.T. 
* ID-PRO UK Ltd. * 1 Benjamin Street * London EC1M 5QG 
* Tel. +44 (0) 20 7689 8448 * Fax +44 (0) 20 7689 8242
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