I think the piece that Mike is missing is that /dev/ttyS0 is the 'thing'
that is actually attached to the hardware, and /dev/modem is the link
that makes it easier for humans to understand what the 'thing' is used
for. Also, since you're now calling the 'thing' a 'modem' you could, if
you had to, re-point the link, and not have to change the settings in
several different programs that depend on knowing where the 'modem' is.
Because those programs are looking at /dev/modem, and don't care what
the other end of the link is. As long as it acts like a modem.

Hope that clarifies things a little.

On Fri, 2003-03-28 at 13:19, Mike Starke wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 28, 2003 at 03:02:01PM -0500, Michael Havens wrote:
> /_So I was looking at the sym links and realized something:
> /_
> /_file1 -> file2
> /_ 
> /_File1 is the link while file2 is the program that is executed when  file1 is accessed. Is this correct?
> /_The problem I was having with ln -s is I thought file1 was the actual program.
> /_If this is the case then ttyS0 -> /dev/modem says that when you access ttyS0 it really accesses /dev/modem! I know I am repeating myself but I think it is exciting that the the light of dawn is illuminating my darkened mind!
> /_
> 
> If you were to issue the command:
> 'ln -s /dev/ttyS0 /dev/modem'
> It would look like this if you were to do 'ls -l /dev/modem'
> lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root           10 Mar 28 13:07 /dev/modem -> /dev/ttyS0
> 
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-- 
C-ya,
Jenny