From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Message-id: <3BAC07E3-B49C-4CE5-8151-D6ACC041E1FA@mac.com> From: Pietro Gagliardi To: Fans of the OS Plan 9 from Bell Labs <9fans@9fans.net> In-reply-to: <1A65C224C4D988F3504822E7@computer> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:41:47 -0400 References: <1A65C224C4D988F3504822E7@computer> Subject: Re: [9fans] Using the Acme Editor Topicbox-Message-UUID: 03402858-ead4-11e9-9d60-3106f5b1d025 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.