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From: kientzle@netcom.com
Subject: Re: /stand directory?
Message-ID: <kientzleDF9osq.GEK@netcom.com>
Keywords: stand single user
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
References: <DE1BG0.9Eu@iquest.net> <1995Sep7.224247.28092@state.systems.sa.gov.au> <43cls2$54k@pixar.com> <43n5tr$sua@lyra.csx.cam.ac.uk>
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 1995 18:02:50 GMT
Lines: 21
Sender: kientzle@netcom21.netcom.com
>What exactly is the purpose of a /stand directory? I know it
>contains binaries to be used in a stand-alone environment, but
>what does that mean practically? Also, don't these binaries
>already exist elsewhere on the filesystem?
The /stand binaries (all 9 of them ;-) are compiled in a somewhat
unusual fashion that allows a lot of different programs to be crunched
into a small space (i.e., a floppy disk). Once you have a running,
stable system, you could delete them. (On the other hand, since they
take up so little room, it doesn't much matter.)
Specifically, if you do `ls -i /stand' you'll notice that almost
all of them have the same i-node. Most of them are compiled into a
single big executable that executes different code depending on the
name it's invoked under. That way, you save the overhead of having 80+
copies of the library code.
Practically, `stand-alone' means `booted from a floppy disk'
- Tim Kientzle