warren@pluto.UUCP (Warren Burstein) (05/17/87)
In article <100@upas.UUCP> rcw@upas.UUCP (Robert White) writes: >Where do the bytes go when moved or copied to /dev/null? >Does the machine dissipate the data as heat? >How does a null device driver work? 1+2) The bytes written to /dev/null go the same place as bits shifted out of the accumulator. Your Field Engineer has to periodically come in and remove them. Unfortunately there is no indication when the recepticle is full. It gets full faster if you don't discard equal numbers of 1's and 0's. VERY IMPORTANT: Do not try to remove the bits yourself! 3) /dev/null is a special case of memory. Think about it. cr--r----- 1 sys 3, 0 Jul 17 1984 /dev/mem cr--r----- 1 sys 3, 1 Jul 17 1984 /dev/kmem crw-rw-rw- 1 root 3, 2 May 16 22:17 null -- /|/~\~~\ The entire world Warren Burstein |__/__/_/ is a very narrow carrot. | But the farmer philabs!tg!pluto!warren / is not afraid at all. Why doesn't life come with subtitles?