Re: [9fans] echo -n

["Gorka guardiola" <paurea@gmail.com>]

As I see it, the problem here is that of symmetry and special cases.

A 0 read means eof. The problem is that it also means a 0 sized message on a
pipe.

There are 0 reads which are not eofs because we want to conserve
the symmetry for pipes (n writes mean n reads) in order not add
special cases. But then we have a special case when eof does not mean
the pipe has been closed. Which is also an interpretation, because
eof means end of file, but that means end of pipe or end of session or what?.

So there is a compromise between the special case  of having zero
writes, and thus not eof 0 reads which are not necessary because you
can use a convention of a special character or something, versus
adding a special case on the other side for the closing of pipes.

So whatever you change, you are not better off so we stay put.
Am I reading right or is there something else I am missing?.

It is late and my english is fuzzy. Pardon my french.
--
- curiosity sKilled the cat