Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!sri-unix!gwyn@BRL-VLD.ARPA From: gwyn@BRL-VLD.ARPA Newsgroups: net.unix Subject: Re: (tar .vs. cpio) : a question Message-ID: <12499@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Wed, 15-Aug-84 18:41:33 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.12499 Posted: Wed Aug 15 18:41:33 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Aug-84 01:17:16 EDT Lines: 13 From: Doug Gwyn (VLD/VMB)Remember that UNIX devices insofar as possible fit a simple general model, consistent with the simple model for files. Programs like "cpio" or "tar" are intended to be used more generally than just as magtape archivers. Making a device such as magtape behave differently from other files would get in the way of UNIX file flexibility, which is one of the things UNIX did right. The "right" way to support multiple tape volumes on UNIX would be to make the tape device driver take care of volume switching. It is quite difficult to do this in a reasonable way; many people have thought about it and some have tried, with notable lack of success.