Re: [RFD w/info-PATCH] device arguments from lookup, partion code

[Linus Torvalds]

On Sun, 20 May 2001, Russell King wrote:
>
> On Sat, May 19, 2001 at 08:26:20PM -0700, Linus Torvalds wrote:
> > You're missing the point.
> 
> I don't think Richard is actually.  I think Richard has hit a nail
> dead on its head.
> 
> > It's ok to do "read()/write()" on structures.
> 
> Ok, we can read()/write() structures.  So someone invents the following
> structure:
> 
> 	struct foo {
> 		int cmd;
> 		void *data;
> 	} foo;
> 
> Now they use write(fd, &foo, sizeof(foo)); Haven't they just swapped
> the ioctl() interface for write() instead?

Wrong.

Nobody will expect the above to work, and everybody will agree that the
above is a BUG if the read() call will actually follow the pointer.

Read my email. And read the last line: "psychology is important".

Step #1 in programming: understand people.

		Linus