inode number -> pathname? (4.2BSD)

[BostonU SysMgr]

>>From: larry at MITRE.ARPA
>>Subject: Re: inode number -> pathname? (4.2BSD)
>>
>>write one to some people at DEC. Then I found that PIP command that
>>allowed linking dirs (MCR PIP NEW=OLD/LI ?? trivia quiz.) I got ill
>>and flamed about why they should hire computer scientists at least
>>once in a while to help the VMS developers understand the
>>differences between a tree and a cyclic graph (I still use this as
>>an example when I teach data structures.)
>>
>>I blushed when I found it in UNIX, although I admit the discouragements
>>are much more obvious.
>>
>>	-Barry Shein, Boston University
>
>	Who ever said a directory stucture had to be a "TREE" ??
>
>			-Larry.


You are right, they don't have to be trees. Maybe we should use
some non-deterministic algorithm altogether. Ok, no sarcasm,
but searching trees is a *little* easier than more generalized
graphs...c'mon...yes you can do anything, but it doesn't mean
it's necessary.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University