5 ms·
File names were limited to just 14 characters - UNIX file system called as "Version 6 filesystem". Directory entries, for instance, consisted of: - 2 bytes for
by raydenvm 1y ago
File names were limited to just 14 characters - UNIX file system called as "Version 6 filesystem". Directory entries, for instance, consisted of:
- 2 bytes for the inode number
- 14 bytes for the filename
After that, the next file systems went up to 255 characters.
- jmclnx 1y agoInteresting read and I found out things I did not know. My first UNIX was Wang IN/ix, which was 14 characters. That was in the very late 80s. Not long afterwards for home use I got Coherent OS, that also had a max of 14. Later was Slackware, seemed the sky was the limit. But to be honest, I wish there was still a smaller file name limit, I usually keep my file names size small. But I know I am in a tiny minority when it comes to the size of the file name :)
- rwmj 1y agoPretty sure the original Minix filesystem name length was also limited to 14 bytes. Edit: Yes: https://github.com/gdevic/minix1/blob/3475e7ed91a3ff3f8862b2543059580a01c1b1a7/fs/const.h#L11 https://github.com/gdevic/minix1/blob/3475e7ed91a3ff3f8862b2... https://github.com/gdevic/minix1/blob/master/fs/type.h https://github.com/gdevic/minix1/blob/master/fs/type.h
- trollbridge 1y agoI don't miss dealing with 8.3 filename conventions at all (or the 255-byte size limit DOS had for file paths, so a list of subdirectories can't typically be more than 30 or so deep).
- thesuitonym 1y agoWindows 11 still has this limit baked in for some reason. EDIT: Upon further reading, it appears MS did finally get rid of this restriction, but some 32-bit apps still don't play nice.
- qingcharles 1y agoI still feel there is some limit because I'm constantly finding that I can't nest long folder names very deep.
- AStonesThrow 1y agoThis would be something that depends on the filesystem. Windows 11 supports various different types. Some would even have configurable parameters.
- dcminter 1y agoHuh, I never knew there was a Wang Unix before. Presumably this was on the VS8000 systems? I found this brochure mentioning it: https://www.1000bit.it/ad/bro/wang/vs8000.pdf https://www.1000bit.it/ad/bro/wang/vs8000.pdf "Wang also offers a UNIX System V.2-compatible operating system, IN/ix for the VS8000 series" and a footnote mentions that it's due in 1990 My Dad did some work with Wang 2200 systems, but by 1990 it had become clear that the IBM PC compatible was inevitable and he'd switched to Niakwa Basic instead of Wang systems for his customers (mostly running a bespoke small business payroll system).
- clausecker 1y agoOne generation of the BSD FFS had a 64 B limit. May have been only 2.11BSD though.