On Sun, Jul 07, 2002 at 10:18:06AM -0700, Chuck Silvers wrote:
> since SHM segments actually do have names and they exist independently
> of mappings in any process, I'll argue that they're really more like
> files than anonymous memory.  SHM segments also have owners, permissions
> timestamps, etc.  the SHM namespace is basically a virtual-memory-backed
> file system with a flat namespace, so it would really make more sense
> to think of it like a file system.

Off the cuff thought: If the SHM namespace is basically a file system
then how come there is no real filesystem interface for it? IE, why
use a special tool to get a list of segments when ls could do the trick?
-- 
"A method for inducing cats to exercise consists of directing a beam of
invisible light produced by a hand-held laser apparatus onto the floor ...
in the vicinity of the cat, then moving the laser ... in an irregular way
fascinating to cats,..." -- US patent 5443036, "Method of exercising a cat"