inconsistency on read/execute permissions for shell procedures

[guido at boring.UUCP]

In article <1945 at ukma.UUCP> sean at ukma.UUCP (Sean Casey) writes:
>
>        ... since a simple solution would be to have the kernel hand the
>shell the file on standard input if --x access is permitted.  ...
>
>This solution seems so simple that I have probably missed a loophole
>somewhere.  If not, why don't "they" do it?

Simple: the shell's standard input is also the shell file's standard input,
and with your proposed solution the shell script wouldn't be able to read
interesting user data from its standard input, wouldn't be usable as a filter,
etc.  So the contents of the shell file has to be presented to the shell
without closing or dupping the standard input.

	Guido van Rossum, CWI, Amsterdam
	guido at mcvax.UUCP