stealth technology for find(1)

[David L Stevens]

	Just when you thought it was over...

	The 4.3 version and the 4.3 Tahoe version and, according to Keith
Bostic, a 1982 version, of find(1) all result in changed access times on
directories.
	I have no idea why Ultrix 3.0's version apparently does not and I
have no idea why my test of the 4.3 version the first time reproduced Jeff
Carter's results (ie, no atime changes). Bostic suggests it might be a kernel
bug, but it isn't reliable, whatever the cause.
	This means if you can live with dumping all your directories (NOT
all your files, just all directories), the STEALTH code I posted can be
applied to any version of find(1) back to 1982 with some effect. Unless
you're running Ultrix 3.0, apparently, though I haven't confirmed that.

	Note, too, that because find(1) does it's work on the way down,
without some change to find(1), you can't get the functionality of "remove
all files that haven't been accessed by a user in the last day". Find(1)
will insure that the directories are always accessed and further, the
directories won't be empty on the way down (only on the way up...).
	Perhaps find(1) in its present form isn't the best solution to this
problem.
-- 
					+-DLS  (dls at mentor.cc.purdue.edu)