Andries Brouwer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >> But why waste space on functions on other operating systems that Linux >> doesn't have? > > All Unix-like operating systems are rather similar.
Except this function has no root in Unix tradition, it is a FreeBSD invention not shared by other Unix-like systems. As far as I can tell, it's not even present on other *BSD flavors. > It is better to describe the Linux situation and mention the > differences with other very similar systems than to just give the > Linux description. How is FreeBSD "very similar" to Linux? It uses an independently-developed C library and an independently-developed kernel. While I agree that it makes sense to describe historical behavior or the differences between Linux and other *widely accepted* solutions, the sranddev function is neither widely accepted by implementations nor widely used by applications. Therefore it has nothing to do in a manpage of a system that doesn't implement it. Documenting functions found on "similar systems", but unsupported by and unimplemented on Linux, will cause clutter due to their sheer number. It's a waste of valuable space better spent on function Linux (glibc) *does* implement. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
