Re: silent semantic changes with reiser4

Linus Torvalds
2004-08-28T19:51:21Z

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