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Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 09:00:04 -0700 (PDT)
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From: Kenneth Chiu <chiuk@indiana.edu>
Subject: Re: bin/3399: mv of symbolic link can move directory instead of link
Reply-To: Kenneth Chiu <chiuk@indiana.edu>
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The following reply was made to PR bin/3399; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Kenneth Chiu <chiuk@indiana.edu>
To: davidn@labs.usn.blaze.net.au (David Nugent)
Cc: chiuk@indiana.edu, freebsd-gnats-submit@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: bin/3399: mv of symbolic link can move directory instead of link
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 10:57:14 -0500 (EST)

 > > If a symbolic link is entered with a trailing /, the directory it
 > > references instead of the link is moved.  This could cause loss of
 > > data, if someone assumes that the original directory was not affected.
 > 
 > Wrong assumption. :-)
 > 
 > IMHO this a a feature, not a bug. Many programs assume you wish to
 > look "through" a symlink if you add the trailing slash. /bin/ls, for
 > example. mv's behaviour therefore would seem to be expected.
 
 Hmm...I never realized this about ls.  Anyway, SunOS and Solaris
 both seem to just move the link, so there does appear to be some
 reason to expect either behavior.  How about we just follow whatever
 POSIX says for this one?