From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
Subject: Re: silent semantic changes with reiser4
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 12:46:10 -0700 (PDT)
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Cc: viro@parcelfarce.linux.theplanet.co.uk,
   Helge Hafting <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no>, Rik van Riel <riel@redhat.com>,
   Spam <spam@tnonline.net>, Jamie Lokier <jamie@shareable.org>,
   Hans Reiser <reiser@namesys.com>, David Masover <ninja@slaphack.com>,
   Diego Calleja <diegocg@teleline.es>, christophe@saout.de,
   vda@port.imtp.ilyichevsk.odessa.ua, christer@weinigel.se,
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   linux-fsdevel@vger.kernel.org,
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To: Andries Brouwer <aebr@win.tue.nl>
In-Reply-To: <20040828194129.GA7713@pclin040.win.tue.nl>
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On Sat, 28 Aug 2004, Andries Brouwer wrote:
> 
> If I see it correctly, you want to group a file and some
> ancillary files together.
> 
> The Unix way would be to make a directory and put them all there:
> 	xterm/xterm
> 	xterm/xterm.icon
> 
> But you are unsatisfied and want
> 	xterm
> 	xterm/xterm.icon
> 
> As long as we agree that the latter really means the former,
> there are no problems in finding out what should happen.
> 
> The conclusion is, that a directory carries an additional bit
> that says "if I am opened as a regular file then use the file
> of the same name inside".
> 
> Now there is no attribute space, just a shorthand.

It's more than a shorthand, though. _Much_ more.

There's the small issue of atomicity and locking.

There's the small issue of hardlinks.

Both of those are why it would need special support.

		Linus