dash-0.5.4/src/error.h

/*
 * These macros allow the user to suspend the handling of interrupt signals
 * over a period of time.  This is similar to SIGHOLD to or sigblock, but
 * much more efficient and portable.  (But hacking the kernel is so much
 * more fun than worrying about efficiency and portability. :-))
 */

I don't know if this was sarkasm or what? Or they are so, as i already know?

While Herbert is doing nice job fixing bugs and POSIXifying[0], he is much more into kernel funa-buga-stuff.

http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.shells.dash/53

[0] P in POSIX means either Proposed or was used in some Priprietary UNIX clone. No way it's portable. Just a buzzword.

From dash-owner@vger.kernel.org Tue May 13 04:07:21 2008
Date:	Tue, 13 May 2008 04:07:14 +0200
To:	dash list
Subject: arithmetics Re: command modifiers
Message-ID: <20080513020714.GA21428@flower.upol.cz>
Organization: Palacky University in Olomouc, experimental physics department
X-OS:	x86_64-pc-linux-glibc-debian

> To list of my failed shell inventions[0], i'd like to add following.
> 
> [0] ftp://flower.upol.cz/dts/ash0000_var/ideas

Arithmetics is the basic knowledge, anyone must have and develop over the
whole life. (i'm a dreamer)

Yet this is not the case in shell:

   original calculating size of variables in `sh` with `expr` and regular
   expressions. (no comments)

Now feature is implemented in shell natively, yet:

* only signed 32 values (don't say it's POSIX)
* "small" and "fast"` dash` has it in bulky bison and stuff (ou, crap)

For start, size and sign (thus, easy seek() in /dev/kmem, for example)

$(s32(...)) || $(s(...))
$(u32(...)) || $(u(...))
$(s64(...)) || $(ss(...))
$(u64(...)) || $(uu(...))

if this will have problems with $(), then more stupid postfix form:

$((...)s); $((...)uu)

Extending to the future: u128, or uuuu, etc.

maybe even to have

sizeof(s||u) = 32b; sizeof(S||U) = 16b; (for flexibility with 16-bit);
____