The Funny Side
Overflowing the Bit Bucket
On 2/10/92, you allegedly write:
> From: hacker@tumbler-ridge.caltech.edu (Jon Hacker)
> Subject: /dev/null full
> Our sun sparc 1+ SunOS 4.1 OW2.0 started running very slowly. When
> I logged out I got the message /dev/null full: empty bit bucket.
> What does this mean? It seems to be running fine after a reboot
> but I am wondering if only the sympton is cured.
>Jon Hacker
>MMIC Group, EE
>Caltech, Pasadena CA
>hacker@rumbler-ridge.caltech.edu
The problem is that null is full. Your void space is no longer void, it's full up.
THE TOP TEN WAYS TO EMPTY AN OVERFLOWING BIT BUCKET
- Open the computer up. Look for the bit bucket, find the RED stopper at the bottom of it and open it up OVER a LARGE trashcan.
- Stop using the computer for 6 months, let the bits compost and continue.
- Take the ethernet terminator off, and "cat /dev/null > le0". This spits the bits into the ether.
- When you write to /dev/null, the 0's don't take up any space, but the one's do. Try writing a file full of 0's to /dev/null (binary 0, NOT ASCII 0 - ASCII 0 will start overfilling the partition).
- This is a common problem _only_ if you use the computer. If you stop using it, it won't have many problems as all. Kick the other users off too.
- If you use lots of C programs, they have Null terminated strings that use up the bits in /dev/null.
- Bring the computer to Mr. Goodwrench, he will drain the bit bucket, change the oil and add windshield fluid, all in less than 29 minutes. Now that's a deal.
- Consider upgrading to a byte bucket or even a word bucket.
- Since your already using Open Windows, open a window and toss the useless bits out the open window.
- Stop using the game "fortune" in your .logout script, Mr "Hacker".
good luck
Frank Ortune
(fortune@fsg.com)
