Are links as useful as they could b

[aglew at ccvaxa.UUCP]

> If you are willing to expend large amounts of space, the symlink
> loop checks can be made rigorous, e.g., by remembering each symlink
> inode and requiring that no one appear twice.  The eight-links
> limit seems to work well in practice, though, particularly since
> symlinks slow name translation markedly.
>  
> Chris Torek

As a compromise between counting and remembering paths, don't fail before
at least N=8 symlinks, and hash the remainder into bits in as long a mask
as you care. The hashing overhead might be worth it if it saves more name
translations - AND if you want to have symlink paths longer than N=8 a lot.

Andy "Krazy" Glew. Gould CSD-Urbana.    USEnet:  ihnp4!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!aglew
1101 E. University, Urbana, IL 61801    ARPAnet: aglew at gswd-vms