Subject: Re: utmp file format change
To: NetBSD Userlevel Technical Discussion List <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Greg A. Woods <woods@weird.com>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 08/22/2001 17:37:57
[ On Wednesday, August 22, 2001 at 13:42:17 (-0700), James Graham wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: utmp file format change 
>
> These cases are sufficiently infrequent that perhaps a converter or
> processing option should be added.

No, it's far easier and safer in the short run and the long run to just
store the data in a fixed format in the first place.  It's not like it's
an expensive operation, or a frequent one for that matter.  Binary
on-disk formats should always be in a well defined byte order and have
well defined width values too.  All the world is *not* a VAX.

(the assumption here of course is that the on-disk format will change
regardless)

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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