In some email I received from Todd Vierling, sie wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Feb 2001, Greywolf wrote:
> 
> : # :    The ptmx emulation code could be ripped out of compat_svr4 and put into
> : # :    compat/common with dependencies on either linux *or* svr4....
> : # :
> : # : no, it should become part of NetBSD proper.  we *want* UNIX98 ptys.
> :
> : Do we want the /dev/pts/.* garbage to replace the current naming scheme,
> : or would it be possible to have a cloner coexist with the current
> : /dev/tty.. scheme?
> 
> It can coexist.  Now, whether it should overlap the same device numberspace,
> I'm not so sure.
> 
> Solaris, for instance, provides BSD-style (SunOS 4 compatibility) ptys named
> /dev/[pt]typ[0-9] and so forth, but they aren't in the same device
> numberspace, because the naming scheme is quite limited.  In the case of
> /dev/pts having its own device space, you could have as many nodes as you
> want (or even a kernel fs similar to fdesc), without worrying about running
> out of letters.

FWIW, I don't think they should share the same numberspace (different
major numbers).

The Solaris approach (having both) has numerous benefits - backward
compatibility as well as separation of functionality which aids
security too.

Darren