> How about we explain it this way:  If you count your partitions from
> "one" (1), then there's a spare minor number for each ``unit'' (0).
> I.e. one could simply assume there are 17 (or 23) slices per unit and
> use the 0'th [or 17'th (or 23'rd) if you detest counting from one]
> unit as the raw disk.

As far as I can tell, this is exactly what we've already got, except

- the number is 8 (or 16 on some ports), not 17 or 23 or whatever
- the distinguished partition is #2 (#3 on i386) [0-origin]

I don't see either one as a critical difference.

What am I missing?

					der Mouse

			       mouse@rodents.montreal.qc.ca
		     7D C8 61 52 5D E7 2D 39  4E F1 31 3E E8 B3 27 4B