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-rw-r--r--man/2/sys-0intro22
1 files changed, 17 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/man/2/sys-0intro b/man/2/sys-0intro
index ba17c3ea..a9d912e9 100644
--- a/man/2/sys-0intro
+++ b/man/2/sys-0intro
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ see
.IR namespace (4).
.PP
The operating system kernel records the file name used to access each open file or directory.
-If the file is opened by a local name (one that does not begin
+If the file is opened by a relative path name (one that does not begin
.B /
or
.BR # ),
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ Similar lexical adjustments are made for path names containing
.B ..
(dot-dot).
By this process, the system maintains a record of the route by which each file was accessed.
-Although there is a possibility for error\(emthe name is not maintained after the file is opened,
-so removals and renamings can confound it\(emthis simple method usually
+Although there is a possibility for error—the name is not maintained after the file is opened,
+so removals and renamings can confound it—this simple method usually
permits the system to return, via
.IR sys-fd2path (2)
and related calls such as those of
@@ -113,6 +113,18 @@ or the
.B ns
file of
.IR prog (3).
+.PP
+Inferno gives special meaning in path names only to `/' and an initial `#',
+but individual file servers might impose further restrictions or conventions of their own.
+For instance, the set of characters allowed in names by
+.IR fs (3)
+ultimately depends on the host operating system;
+and
+.IR dial (2)
+and
+.IR cs (8)
+amongst others use `!' as a delimiter in network names,
+preventing their use in the names of network devices.
.SS "File I/O"
Files are opened for input or output
by
@@ -133,7 +145,7 @@ and
.IR sys-read (2)).
When the last reference to an
.B FD
-disappears, the file descriptor is released\(emclosed, in Unix parlance.
+disappears, the file descriptor is released—closed, in Unix parlance.
The
.B FD
contains an integer file descriptor, similar to those in Unix, but the
@@ -297,7 +309,7 @@ and
A comparison of process and file identities take place when a process
attempts to open or create a file.
.PP
-When a pathname crosses from one server to another the process identities are
+When a path name crosses from one server to another the process identities are
mapped by each server receiving a file request.
.PP
The