Files in /dev

[Martin Visser]

David,

Ultimately the answer is in written in the annals history - it is the way
UNIX has always done it. Most of the /dev devices are just pointers to
something that may or not be there, and thus is easy to to when the kernel
is just booting. Probing hardware is hard, and even error prone. Obviously
plug-and-play and dynamic devices have come in a lot later.

And if it worries you can of course delete devices in /dev that you are
sure aren't going to be needed - but are you sure ;-)

Regards, Martin

MartinVisser99 at gmail.com

On 25 August 2014 11:34, Boden Matthews <boden.matthews at gmail.com> wrote:

> I've always assumed it's because it allows for plug-and-play devices to be
> connected and mounted without having to reboot the system
> On 25/08/2014 11:31 AM, "David Bowskill" <david at bowskill.net> wrote:
>
>> Hello all
>>
>> I have a simple question - why are there more files in the /dev directory
>> then actual existing devices on a particular machine ?
>> In particular, on start up, why does not the system interrogate the
>> hardware and only create files corresponding to the actual hardware present
>> ? - in order to avoid confusion.
>>
>> Thanks for answers
>>
>> --
>> ubuntu-au mailing list
>> ubuntu-au at lists.ubuntu.com
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>>
>
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