Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Tue, 30 Apr 2002 09:13:58 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Tue, 30 Apr 2002 09:13:58 -0400 Received: from johnsl.lnk.telstra.net ([139.130.12.152]:56842 "HELO ns.higherplane.net") by vger.kernel.org with SMTP id ; Tue, 30 Apr 2002 09:13:57 -0400 Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 23:15:23 +1000 From: john slee To: Denis Vlasenko Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: [prepatch] address_space-based writeback Message-ID: <20020430131523.GA22705@higherplane.net> In-Reply-To: <5.1.0.14.2.20020427191820.04003500@pop.cus.cam.ac.uk> <5.1.0.14.2.20020429115231.00b1d900@pop.cus.cam.ac.uk> <15565.13742.140693.146727@laputa.namesys.com> <200204301217.g3UCGtX02871@Port.imtp.ilyichevsk.odessa.ua> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.25i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org [ cc list trimmed ] On Tue, Apr 30, 2002 at 03:19:17PM -0200, Denis Vlasenko wrote: > Why do we have to stich to concept of inode *numbers*? > Because there are inode numbers in traditional Unix filesystems? probably because there is software out there relying on them being numbers and being able to do 'if(inum_a == inum_b) { same_file(); }' as appropriate. i can't think of a use for such a construct other than preserving hardlinks in archives (does tar do this?) but i'm sure there are others like much of unix it's been there forever and has become such a natural concept in people's heads that to change it now seems unthinkable. much like the missing e in creat(). j. -- R N G G "Well, there it goes again... And we just sit I G G G here without opposable thumbs." -- gary larson - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/