Re: /usr/lib/charset.alias file identified as Alias by FSIsAliasFile(), FSResolveAliasFile() fails to get the target
Re: /usr/lib/charset.alias file identified as Alias by FSIsAliasFile(), FSResolveAliasFile() fails to get the target
- Subject: Re: /usr/lib/charset.alias file identified as Alias by FSIsAliasFile(), FSResolveAliasFile() fails to get the target
- From: Alastair Houghton <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:27:37 +0100
On 20 Oct 2009, at 17:49, Jens Alfke wrote:
On Oct 20, 2009, at 5:30 AM, rohan a wrote:
I created a file 1.alias (regular file) and surprisingly
FSIsAliasFile() has recognized it as an alias file. This is such
strange behavior.
Why? Our modern OS uses filename suffixes to determine content
types, not antiquated things like filesystem metadata.
It isn't necessary to draw *quite* such a distinction between the
two. You could regard the file extension *as* filesystem metadata,
albeit metadata that is under many circumstances directly visible to
the end user. Indeed, in the 8+3 system used by DOS and its CP/M
predecessors, the fact is that the three character extension was a
separate *field* in the directory structure; the name of "FOO.DOC" was
not really stored as "FOO.DOC" at all, but rather "FOO DOC". The
decision as to whether the extension is part of the name or not is
purely a logical matter.
(To be clear, I do broadly agree with your implication---that it would
be nicer to store this kind of data *separately* as metadata of some
sort---and I'd like to think that there is an intention to move
towards a UTI-in-attribute approach for types and a bundle-ID-in-
attribute approach for creators, though it's quite important IMHO that
there is both reliable round-trip support and some degree of cross-
platform compatibility before that will work. For instance, a Word
document must not change from being a Word document merely because it
is being viewed on e.g. a Windows machine rather than a Mac, or vice-
versa, and it also must not require the end user to take special per-
file steps to ensure compatibility.)
Kind regards,
Alastair.
--
http://alastairs-place.net
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