Bigger process IDs and "dev_t"s (was: Re: RISC v. CISC...)

[Robert Elz]

In article <1988Oct31.183021.13880 at utzoo.uucp>, henry at utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
> it's clear that we are undersupplied with minor numbers and oversupplied
> with major numbers.

Certainly true.

> Clearly making dev_t 32 bits would make life easier,

yes, what's more maybe we could do away with major *numbers* completely
and use major *names* instead.  16 bits would be enough space for a
2 character name (which the whole universe, almost, could just treat
as a number).  Given this, all the absurd renumbering of all the entries
in /dev every time someone rearranges [cb]devsw could be done away with
once and for all.  (Yes, I know that 2 chars isn't great, but it does fit).

Imagine ...

	brw-------  1 root       sd,   0 Oct 18 12:34 /dev/sd0a

kre