pag@hao.UUCP (07/13/83)
Source code for the Ames fast file finder, as described in
the February/March 1983 ;login:, p. 8, has been posted to net.sources.
It has been running here on an ancient 11/70 in various forms for
several years, and I'm surprised that something like it has not
surfaced before from some institution. For system programmers, at least,
the 'find' mod makes it one of the most oft-used commands on UNIX.
Berkeley's 'whereis' is simply not general enough to help feeble human
memory deal with pathnames for arbitrary files.
The port to 4.1c bsd was done recently. Assuming 20000 files,
real time (for a failed search) runs about 1-3 seconds for a 11/780
vs. 6-10 seconds on a 11/70 running straight V7. I'm currently playing
with a networked 'find' worm. Send bugs, ideas for new functionality,
and performance improvements (time-space product > 10% better) to:
James A. Woods (hao!ames-lm!jaw)
NASA Ames Research Center
Mail Stop 239-19
Moffett Field, CA 94035
(415) 965-6436
Note: this has been submitted for Jim Woods by Peter Gross -- ames-lm
is not on USENET.