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From:	jeremy@sw.oz.au (Jeremy Fitzhardinge)
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Subject: Re: Interesting things from the Plan 9 rc manpage
To:	cks@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu (Chris Siebenmann)
Date:	Tue, 27 Oct 1992 23:00:07 -0500
Cc:	rc@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu
In-Reply-To: <92Oct27.224004est.2795@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu> from "Chris Siebenmann" at Oct 27, 92 10:39:51 pm
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Chris Siebenmann bubbles:
>  Since Plan 9 implements the environment as a filesystem (a single
> directory) it wouldn't surprise me if it takes a while to fire up an
> rc if you have lots of functions or environment variables.

I can't see why that would be a problem.  A new process would share the
namespace of its parent, including /env, so there's no work that needs
to be done by any party.  If a new environment needs to be set up, then
perhaps there is more work.  I suppose an 'rc' would tend to be started with
rfork(RFENVG) (meaning "use a copy of the parent's env, but don't share
changes), so that may take more time.

> When I saw Pike demonstrating 8 1/2 (and when I saw it running on a
> 386 portable), I don't think window creation took that long, although
> 8 1/2 can hide shell startup delay if it wants to be clever.

Pike's claim has always been that a window started in 8 1/2 perceptually
instantaneously.  I always assumed that means that your shell puts a
prompt up pretty quickly after that.  Type-ahead helps if your shell is
slowish to start up.
 
>  The Labs style seems to tend towards a certain sparseness of
> environment, so it may have been considered OK by most people.

Sparse, but quick.

	J