Re: [9fans] Using the Acme Editor

[Pietro Gagliardi <pietro10@mac.com>]

I'm sorry, but this needs a comment.

On Aug 20, 2008, at 5:46 PM, Eris Discordia wrote:

>> As Pietro demonstrated, no interface configuration is necessary here.
>
> Only because the concept is hidden in Plan 9, though I don't know
> how. _Someone_ or _something_ has to decide whether to route your
> packets through, say, a ppp interface or an eth interface--when both
> interfaces are present--and to do that according to configuration.
> That won't happen on its own.

The program does so. What happens is the program sets up a 9P server
that runs in the background as a background process. It takes care of
everything. The user never needs to actually say "my cell phone is
interfacing off a proprietary network" because the program will take
care of that. ftpfs, for instance, doesn't ask the user for port
number, ASCII/Binary mode, etc. More elaborate FTP programs do, and I
don't know why.

> When P. G. suggested an imaginary "motorola" file server he never
> said how the file server is supposed to access the cellular network.
> If it's going to happen by tunnelling through another protocol, e.g.
> IP, then the question remains of _which_ interface to choose from.
> And if it's going to happen over some special protocol then it must
> occupy a place on the network stack over some _configured_ network
> interface.

Like I just said, the program does all of that. Take a look at srv,
which can connect to both local and remote servers.

> On a different note, what purpose did his "-M 'RAZR V3' 555 555
> 5555" switches serve? Don't they qualify as interface configuration?


No. -M 'RAZR V3' simply says the model of the phone. It does not say
over what protocol, serial number, or connection type. And 555 555
5555 is a phone number that is required for obvious reasons.