Subject: Re: Removing GNU tar and GNU cpio from src?
To: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
From: Greg A. Woods <woods@weird.com>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 01/26/2003 15:50:24
[ On Saturday, January 25, 2003 at 22:26:51 (-0500), der Mouse wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Removing GNU tar and GNU cpio from src?
>
> >> Pure, yes. Simple, no. Who gets to decide what counts as corrupt?
> > Yes, actually it is very simple in this case. If the st_mtime value
> > for the file changes from the time it was first opened to the time
> > its "last" buffer was written to the backup then the backup is
> > obviously corrupt.
>
> That's one possible meaning for "corrupt" here.
>
> Despite what you appear to be convinced of, it is not the only one; it
> is not even the only useful one.
>
> Since you are unlikely to be convinced of that, and I haven't seen
> anyone else supporting that position, I see nothing to be gained from
> elaborating. I'll be happy to do so off-list with anyone interested.
Now what exactly was it I said about verifying integrity? Hmm... Here
it is, right from the text you did not quote from my posting:
Obviously a lot more
could be done to better verify the integrity of the backup copy, but
this one check is so obvious and simple and low-cost that not doing it,
at least by default, is a bug, pure and simple
--
Greg A. Woods
+1 416 218-0098; <g.a.woods@ieee.org>; <woods@robohack.ca>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; VE3TCP; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>