5

I have Ubuntu 16.04 and I note there are many devices in the /dev folder that don't physically exist.

For example, I have 2 serial ports and I can access them using ttyS0 and ttyS1 as expected.

However, in the /dev directory, I see 32 ttyS(n) devices and when I do an ls on them, there is no difference listed.

My question: What is the philosophy behind listing so many non existent ports? Why not have the OS make entries in the /dev dir only for ports that exist?

Thanks, Mark.

edit, I am speaking of serial ports ttyS(n) vs virtual consoles tty(n).

M.

Cool Javelin
  • 196

1 Answers1

2

You are only using 2 devices now, but system is able to work with as many as 32. Hence, name ttyS32 exists if you might need it. In old days there were just 4 Com ports, but now with hot swappable devices that can spawn synthetic ports, better if kernel claims control of the names it might use

pauljohn32
  • 3,803