RFS vs. NFS

[Dick Dunn]

peter at ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) mentions:
> For a third choice, Intel's OpenNET software...
> ...Instead a super-root, "//", is created. To access
> files on a remote system, you access "//sysname/usr/bin..."...

Ugh!  This isn't the first time I've seen this trick, but it's still a bad
idea.  I wish all the clever developers who decided, "Yeah, we can just use
a double / for that!" had been experienced with UNIX before they inflicted
their bright ideas on us.  Using // as magic *breaks* things.  Historically,
extra /'s are ignored in file names.  People use this fact.

The // at the beginning is particularly common; it derives from an idiom
used to allow manipulating either some local subtree or root:

ROOT=<whatever>
...
FILE=$ROOT/usr/bletch/gargle

To play in a subtree, you set ROOT=/usr/myhome/playpen or some such.  When
you're ready to get serious, you set ROOT=/ which gives you FILE=
//usr/bletch/gargle.

(Don't bother telling me of the various ways to avoid the problem; I know.
Nor preach to me about standards; I'm talking about existing practice:-)
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd at ico.isc.com -or- ico!rcd       Boulder, CO   (303)449-2870
   ...Are you making this up as you go along?