Subject: Re: newfs: determining file system parameters
To: None <tech-kern@NetBSD.org>
From: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
List: tech-kern
Date: 10/11/2003 18:23:48
>> How?  SEEK_END on special devices doesn't work, does it?  Sure
>> doesn't look as though it ought to:
> Logically, why shouldn't it?   I think it should.

On disks, it makes sense.  On many other special devices (ttys,
/dev/ipstate, /dev/mixer, etc) it makes no sense.  On others (eg,
tapes) it may make some conceptual sense but is approximately
impossible to implement.  On others yet (eg, /dev/random) the normal
file notion does not quite apply, and its size notion with it, but it
could be bent to fit (eg, for /dev/random the size could be the amount
of entropy available).

This says to me, quite clearly, that it needs to be another driver
interface routine, with all drivers that are to support it getting
updated.

This could be done.  Whether it's worth doing is another question.
(I'd be inclined to say it is.)

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