11 Dec
2015
11 Dec
'15
11:52 p.m.
On 12/11/15 4:31 PM, Clem Cole wrote:
First, the device # should be usable from the command
line, i.e. tar
cv0 foo
As for mt, it was written for the tape device and in those days most
of us had at least one 9-track device. I have no memory of why Ken
used mt1 not mt0. Doug may know.
Clem,
Thanks, that'll teach me to read the man pages more carefully even when
the command is familiar in its modern form. Your tip about the device
number caused me to check. Sure enough, it's in the documentation :). I
am so impressed with the durability of the original documentation. These
were written some 40+ years ago, and they're still amazingly useable by
folks like me who have only worked with OSes created since the 1990's
(of course, not entirely without help).
man tar
...
0,...,7 This modifier selects the drive on which the tape
is mounted. The default is 1.
...
-will