file attributes

[klaus u schallhorn]

In article <1767 at sranha.sra.co.jp> erik at srava.sra.co.jp (Erik M. van der Poel) writes:
>> There's absolutely nothing wrong with checking magic numbers, etc. to
>> find out the type of a file.
>
[ ... ]
>
>I think we should add standard headers to data, e.g. cartridges. Old
>programs that call open() will have problems with these headers if the
>system does not hide them. Of course, we could just leave open() as it
>is, and change lots of user-level programs to deal with the headers.

[ ... ]

>I'm trying to propose an extension that would allow "ordinary" people
>to use Unix (also, POSIX) and computers in general more easily.

[ ... ]

Wouldn't an extension to the knowledge of these people be more efficient
than library mods or kernel hacks. Contrary to the movies very few people
die of knowing too much.

klaus schallhorn
-- 
George Orwell was an Optimist