Re: [9fans] echo -n

["Francisco J Ballesteros" <nemo@lsub.org>]

Yes, but, what does it mean to write zero bytes?
I know, I know.
But my point is, does it make sense?
If you want a write of something weird to mean something, you might
just use a write of something weird, or a control operation kept appart.


A related question, can we create a file with an empty name?
Is what happens a bug or a feature?


On 11/21/06, Gorka guardiola <paurea@gmail.com> wrote:
> 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
>
>