[Chicago-talk] CGI umask

[Randal L. Schwartz]

>>>>> "Steven" == Steven Lembark <lembark at wrkhors.com> writes:

Steven> -- "Randal L. Schwartz" <merlyn at stonehenge.com>

>>>>>>> "Steven" == Steven Lembark <lembark at wrkhors.com> writes:
>> 
Steven> -- jason scott gessner <jason at multiply.org>
>> 
Steven> perldoc the stat call, one of the return values are the
Steven> mods in octal.
>> 
>> stat() returns numbers.  Numbers are neither decimal nor octal.
>> What are you talking about?

Steven> The bit groupings for the mods use three values for
Steven> each of settings, user, group, other. These are normally
Steven> represented in octal with the u/g/o taken as octal digits
Steven> for each of the triplets.

"represented" != "is".  Sure, I can represent the value returned
back by stat in decimal, since I'm a human from planet Earth.
If I had 8 fingers instead of 10, I'd probably most naturally
represent that in base 8.

But the point is that the number is merely a number.  Not a decimal
number, not an octal number. "The mods" are not "in octal".  They make
the most sense when we write the number in octal or in binary, but
that doesn't mean they *are* in octal.

Sorry, you hit a hot button for me.

-- 
Randal L. Schwartz - Stonehenge Consulting Services, Inc. - +1 503 777 0095
<merlyn at stonehenge.com> <URL:http://www.stonehenge.com/merlyn/>
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