Re: Java

[Guy Steele - Sun Microsystems Labs <address@hidden>]

   From: Vladimir G Ivanovic <vladimir@acm.org>
   Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2001 08:13:26 -0800
   
   You're confusing an operating system concept with a programming
   language feature.

Yes, but as a joke.  I assumed that ":-)" on top of a "Duh!"
would be redundant, but maybe I was wrong.  Sorry if I confused
or upset you.

A more charitable assessment would be that I was using
a metaphor.

Let me put the question another way: why should the presence
or absence of the concept of "current" directory hinge on
the presence or absence of user-writable storage?  I can
perfectly well imagine a directory structure that gives
access to devices and files the writing of which is not
under control of the user, and a current directory within
that directory structure.  Conversely, I can perfectly
well imagine a file system that has no concept of a current
directory, or even of directory structure (I have worked
with many such in the past), even though user-writable
storage is supported.

--Guy