Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows

From	Don Y <this@is.not.me.com>
Newsgroups	comp.arch.embedded
Subject	Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows
Date	2014-10-10 11:32 -0700
Organization	Aioe.org NNTP Server
Message-ID	<m19904$l1s$1@speranza.aioe.org> (permalink)
References	(2 earlier) <m18g3o$u4o$1@dont-email.me> <m18qdl$ckj$1@speranza.aioe.org> <m18qj7$ckj$2@speranza.aioe.org> <m190q4$e3$1@dont-email.me> <m1942j$cc5$1@dont-email.me>

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On 10/10/2014 10:12 AM, David Brown wrote:

> I would say that the unix way is the only sensible way, because it is
> transparent and consistent - the system does not care about the
> characters used, and does not make any artificial and language-specific
> distinctions.  When people started using UTF-8 filenames, the unix way
> needed no changes, and everything continues as normal.

+1

> But if you start trying to say that some characters are equivalent to
> particular other characters, you have an endless task as soon as you
> start looking at anything other than plain English.  How is the OS, or
> programs running on it, going to figure out that é and É are the same
> letter but different capitalisation?  And why artificially decide that
> small and large letters in the English alphabet are equivalent - what
> about other combinations that are considered the same letter(s) in other
> languages?  In German, you sometimes use "ss" and sometimes "ß" - they
> should be treated the same.  In Norwegian, in some cases you would
> consider "aa" the same as "å" (this causes great fun when sorting names
> - "å" comes at the end of the alphabet, but names beginning with "Aa"
> should be sorted alongside those beginning with "Å").  In Arabic, there
> are (AFAIUI) 5 different characters for each letter - should these be
> considered equivalent in file names?

*Which* character set?  ARE NAMES EVEN PART OF *ANY* "CHARACTER SET"?
I.e., why can't a name be a series of "8 bit slices" out of some N bit
quantity?
   0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00
   0x00 0x00 0x00 0x01
   ...
(imagine how you would structure a "container" whose contents always
followed this sort of rule!  1,000,000+ "names" and any *one* could be
accessed in constant time!!)

They're *identifiers*.  All they have to be is uniquely resolvable.
They only have to make sense to the entities that reference them!

The cognitive stumbling block is getting away from them as identifiers
that the user (has to) deal with.  If you want to expose meaningful names
to a user, then map the "cumbersome" names to something more friendly
(in a parallel namespace).

E.g., think of the alphabet soup that Solaris uses to reference devices:
    ../../devices/pci@0,0/pci-ide@1f,2/ide@1/sd@0,0:q
and the "aliases" (i.e., names in a different namespace) that it
then applies to make life easy for mere mortals:
    /dev/dsk/c1t0d0p0
and a user-created symlink that makes life even easier:
    /bootpartition

> I have no doubt that in a well-designed OS and filesystem, you either
> have to treat different cases as completely distinct, or you limit the
> whole system to 7-bit ASCII.

Thread

Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 00:31 -0700
  Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2014-10-10 09:06 +0000
    Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-10 13:32 +0200
      Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 07:23 -0700
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 07:26 -0700
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-10 19:17 +0300
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-10 19:12 +0200
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-10 20:34 +0300
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 11:32 -0700
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 10:53 -0700
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-10 21:24 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 13:36 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-11 00:18 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 15:28 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Tonton Th <tTh@nowhere.invalid> - 2014-10-12 20:07 +0000
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-12 19:52 -0700
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Hans-Bernhard Bröker <HBBroeker@t-online.de> - 2014-10-10 21:15 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-10 23:04 +0300
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-11 11:28 +0200
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-11 17:13 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-11 17:26 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-11 18:51 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-12 12:04 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-12 15:59 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-12 08:04 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-12 18:47 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-12 09:01 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-12 09:05 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-12 19:17 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-13 19:26 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-13 22:00 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-14 10:25 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-14 13:28 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-14 14:37 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-14 16:00 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-14 06:19 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Hans-Bernhard Bröker <HBBroeker@t-online.de> - 2014-10-15 19:57 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-16 00:06 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-16 18:16 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-16 20:49 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-14 18:59 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-14 21:39 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-14 23:29 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-15 00:46 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-15 01:38 +0200
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-10 17:31 +0200
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 10:34 -0700
    Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 06:59 -0700
  Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-10 18:42 +0200
    Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2014-10-10 19:00 +0000
    Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-10 13:43 -0700
      Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows upsidedown@downunder.com - 2014-10-11 11:06 +0300
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-11 01:35 -0700
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-11 17:24 +0300
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-11 17:43 +0200
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-12 12:07 +0200
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-12 23:41 +0200
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-13 19:14 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-13 20:18 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Mel Wilson <mwilson@the-wire.com> - 2014-10-15 18:43 +0000
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-15 21:58 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2014-10-15 23:55 -0400
    Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-20 09:45 -0700
      Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-21 18:47 +0200
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 15:38 -0700
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 17:51 -0700
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2014-10-22 01:35 -0400
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 23:22 -0700
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-22 18:39 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-22 11:34 -0700
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows upsidedown@downunder.com - 2014-10-22 22:11 +0300
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2014-10-23 00:20 +0000
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2014-10-23 01:36 -0400
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2014-10-23 09:08 +0000
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows George Neuner <gneuner2@comcast.net> - 2014-10-23 14:50 -0400
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Hans-Bernhard Bröker <HBBroeker@t-online.de> - 2014-10-23 21:42 +0200
      Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-22 01:21 +0300
        Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 15:51 -0700
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows glen herrmannsfeldt <gah@ugcs.caltech.edu> - 2014-10-21 23:27 +0000
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 16:50 -0700
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Hans-Bernhard Bröker <HBBroeker@t-online.de> - 2014-10-22 21:00 +0200
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows upsidedown@downunder.com - 2014-10-22 22:54 +0300
          Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-22 02:32 +0300
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 17:21 -0700
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-22 03:52 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> - 2014-10-21 21:13 -0700
            Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-22 08:10 +0200
              Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-22 12:00 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-22 13:11 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-22 15:19 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-22 15:21 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-22 17:26 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Stefan Reuther <stefan.news@arcor.de> - 2014-10-22 18:46 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-23 02:37 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-22 23:09 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-23 03:06 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-23 10:18 +0200
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows Dimiter_Popoff <dp@tgi-sci.com> - 2014-10-23 13:56 +0300
                Re: Filesystem syntax constraints under Windows David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2014-10-23 15:59 +0200

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