linux-kernel - Re: Where did . come from

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Date:	Thu, 24 Mar 2016 09:46:42 -0700
From:	Casey Schaufler <casey@...aufler-ca.com>
To:	Hgntkwis@...mail.net, LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Where did . come from

On 3/23/2016 9:29 PM, Hgntkwis@...mail.net wrote:
> Granted, you need something to signify that a file is a dir (remember,
> in linux everything is a file), and what the parent dir is.
> I'm assuming that the kernel folks decided the name, or at least have
> some idea about it.
> I'm not objecting, it's fine, I just want to know this history behind the
> decision to use . instead of say $ or %.

Minimum amount of ink used on a TTY33.
No, I'm not kidding. It dates back to the UNIX systems of the 1970's.

>
> Thanks, David
>
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