On Thu, Aug 25, 2022 at 1:42 PM Robert Riebisch wrote:
>
> Paul Dufresne wrote:
> > I know some packages use "Links" to make executables in the
> > executable %PATH% to make them callable from any directory.
>
> You're probably talking about the BAT and COM files in C:\FreeDOS\LINKS.
>
> > The question I ask myslf, is why is is the exception rather than the norm?
>
> Because probably nobody cared so far. And not everybody wants it that way.
>
> > Would it make it significantly slower?
>
> No.
>
> But it takes more space on disk, because every "link" occupies one
> cluster on disk. Size of a cluster depends on HDD capacity and partition
> type (FAT12, FAT16, FAT32). E.g., on a 2 GB FAT16 partition a cluster is
> 32 KB large. B64.COM is only 76 bytes large, but takes 32 KB
> nevertheless. On a 2 GB FAT32 partition a cluster is only 4 KB large, so
> B64.COM would take 4 KB only.
>
> Default cluster size for NTFS, FAT, and exFAT
> https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/default-cluster-size-for-ntfs-fat-and-exfat-9772e6f1-e31a-00d7-e18f-73169155af95
>
> Not to forget: More links also means higher chance for a name conflict.
>
I know this is an old topic (August 25) but I've been away from email
for a while .. so here I am:
I've never been a fan of the "LINKS" directory. I know it's useful for
some people - so I guess it's good for them. But I remove that from my
PATH when I install FreeDOS.
As Robert says, more of these "links" in your PATH means a higher
probability of name collision.
When you type a command, FreeDOS COMMAND tries to match an alias and
use that. If not found, FreeDOS (like any DOS) will look in the
current directory for a matching executable program (COM, EXE, or BAT)
and then search the PATH for a matching program.
I prefer DOS to be simple, so I customize my FreeDOS system to have
only C:\FREEDOS\BIN in the PATH by default. I keep it pretty minimal.
I don't even add the compiler stuff in my PATH until I need it. For
example, if I'm going to write programs, I run a SETENV batch file
that adds the compiler's paths to my PATH and sets environment
variables.
But to each their own. If you like using links, then use the LINKS directory.
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