Re: /dev/tcp

On 8/23/26 00:01, Rich wrote:
> vallor <[email protected]> wrote:
>> At Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:30:40 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D’Oliveiro <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:15:27 -0000 (UTC), Eli the Bearded wrote:
>>>
>>>> In comp.os.linux.misc, Lawrence DOliveiro <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:59:41 -0000 (UTC), Eli the Bearded wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This came up in the context of "how to test network on a system
>>>>>> with no root and no helpful utilities installed."
>>>>>
>>>>> So a version of bash that supports /dev/tcp is somehow excluded
>>>>> from that “no helpful utilities installed” assumption?
>>>>
>>>> The system being tested did not have bash installed. Busybox
>>>> provided /bin/sh there.
>>>
>>> I thought you said you were testing the *network*, not the *system*.
>>>
>>> You can’t really do that (in general) without access to a proper
>>> suite of diagnostic tools.
>>>
>>> In such a situation, I would try one (or both) of two things:
>>>
>>> * Reboot the machine with a SystemRescue USB stick
>>>    <https://www.system-rescue.org/>. That way, I get unconstrained
>>>    access to an entire system custom-designed precisely for running
>>>    diagnostics.
>>> * Bring in my own machine, which already has my own custom setup on
>>>    it, and connect it to the network.
>>>
>>> Both of these also have the advantage of ruling out screwups in the
>>> existing OS installation.
>>>
>>> And if you’re saying the situation would not allow me to do either of
>>> these things, then I would not have accepted the job in the first
>>> place.
>>
>> Have you ever agreed with someone?
> 
> It's kind of the troll ethos, disagreeing brings on more chaos.


   There are always a few ... being negative/disagreeable
   or, worse, All-Superior is Their Main Thing. They feel
   they "Gain Power" that way.

   No, I'm not basing that on Freud or Jung - just long
   experience.

   I pref the "Let's All Get Along" approach. Everything
   goes MUCH smoother and solutions, rather than conflict,
   is the usual result.

   ANYway, /dev/tcp does have uses. It's worth exploring.
   Maybe YOU can find a use to suit YOUR needs/desires.
   I used it for a custom disk-scan/wipe app (had to
   use a 'C' module because huge track/cluster/byte numbers
   were needed for modern mag drives - the main app was
   in Lazarus for the pretty display and buttons).

   Note Lazarus/FPC *says* it supports huge seek numbers
   but DOESN'T ... limited to maybe 4gb.