STREAMS query

[Doug Gwyn <gwyn>]

> A while ago, I saw some trade press announcements about AT&T providing
> a "streams" interface for networking sometime early '86.  More recently
> I've seen press about a working network file system (distinct from NFS)
> using "streams".
> 
> My question is -- what are they?  Can anyone direct me to accurate
> descriptions of interfaces, functionality, etc.?  (Are they out yet?)
> I've seen the October 1984 BSTJ, with an article by Dennis Ritchie about
> them (focused on terminal operations).  Do they provide the same
> functionality that Berkeley sockets do?  Is there any hot gossip?

So read the article!

Streams are different from sockets and more generally useful.

Rumor has it that UNIX System V Release 3 (perhaps available Jan. 1986)
will include stream i/o, but only in support of networking and not in
place of other character i/o.  That's too bad; terminal handling in
particular can benefit greatly from stream i/o.

If anyone wants to spread a more accurate rumor, please do so.