more on file \"attributes\"

[Wayne Throop]

> [Using fortran-specific headers] seems like a reasonable approach,
> except that existing FORTRANs do not put such cruft at the beginning of
> files now. [...] What I was suggesting, though it might have not been
> clear, is an "invisible" file header, one which you look at in a
> slightly different way than the real data (the bytes in the file).

Now let me get this straight.  Putting formatting information in the
file itself is a good idea, but the lack of FORTRAN systems that do this
today causes you to suggest adding an independant data area to all files
to keep formatting information.

*Now* I see the light!  All those existing FORTRANs that use Unix
"invisible file headers"!  How silly of me.

(In case it isn't clear, I think adding an "invisible file header" to
 Unix is a Bad Thing.)
-- 
Wayne Throop at Data General, RTP, NC
<the-known-world>!mcnc!rti-sel!rtp47!throopw