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Date:      Tue, 3 Feb 1998 19:57:51 +1030
From:      Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com>
To:        Leif Neland <leifn@image.dk>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Modifyed ping
Message-ID:  <19980203195751.03221@lemis.com>
In-Reply-To: <a14_9802031005@swimsuit.swimsuit.roskildebc.dk>; from Leif Neland on Tue, Feb 03, 1998 at 08:36:09AM %2B0100
References:  <a14_9802031005@swimsuit.swimsuit.roskildebc.dk>

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On Tue, Feb 03, 1998 at 08:36:09AM +0100, Leif Neland wrote:
> I have changed ping to only send 4 pings by default instead of infinite
> (uninitialized, as far as I can see).
>
> SysV and M$ also only send 4 pings by default.
>
> If I think this should be standard in FreeBSD, how do I change the standard? I
> mean, where, and who do I have to persuade to put this into the main
> distribution. Is there a mailing list for discussing such changes?

You will need to persuade the hackers.  The mailing list is
FreeBSD-hackers@FreeBSD.org, and you join in the same way as you
joined this list.

I don't think you have a bat's chance in hell of getting this change
through.  Just because System V does it doesn't mean that BSD people
will think it good.  The fact that Microsoft does it is probably
enough reason in itself not to follow their example.  But I think the
best reason will be that most people, in this case including myself,
prefer it the way it is.  Don't let my opinion stop you from trying,
though.

> The reason: I have often started a ping in one window, jumped to
> watch ppp in another, only to discover half an hour (or later) that
> the ping is still pinging and keeping the line open.

How about this script, called ping:

 #!/bin/sh
 ping -c 4 $*

In addition, there is, of course, no reason why you shouldn't run your
own modified version of ping.  But persuading the community of what
appear to be gratuitous changes is a very difficult thing.

Greg
 



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