On 2014-12-02 12:13, Dylan wrote:
On 02/12/14 11:03, Carlos E. R. wrote:
I read that «NAME specifies a file on a mounted file system or a block device that is mounted» as meaning "a file on a mounted block device", that is, "/dev/sdh1/somefile", which is not a syntax I have seen previously.
This is definitely ambiguous... it could mean:
(A) a file on [a mounted file system] or [a block device that is mounted]
OR
(B) [a file on a mounted file system] or [a block device that is mounted]
I think, however, (A) is the intended meaning...
I think it means: (C) a file on a mounted filesystem, or a file on a mounted block device, because that explains what happens with the program output.
If that is not what the phrase means, well, man page writers are not universally known for easy reading, nor man page readers for understanding what the writer intended ;-)
Writers and readers in general, it seems...
Man pages are specially difficult because they use specific language. Very compact. :-) -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 13.1 x86_64 "Bottle" at Telcontar)