Why /etc/mtab? (was: Example modification of /etc/mtab wanted)

[Thomas Truscott]

> 	Why does Unix use a file to store mount information?

Because it did 90% of the job with 10% of the effort.

Ultrix replaced /etc/mtab with the "getmnt" system call
which has lots of strange parameters.

Much simpler would be to have a "/dev/mtab" special device
which works like "/dev/mem" but only accesses the kernel mount table.
Similarly one might have "/dev/proc".
Just more minor numbers for the basic /dev/mem driver.
	Tom Truscott