ifconfig data interpretation

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Tue, Apr 07, 2009 at 04:40:10PM +0000, Peter wrote:
> Why should ip replace the simple set of old tools ?! ip is quite complex and i
> cannot see it easily integrated into, f.ex. busybox, without creating unduely
> huge applications.

Because ifconfig uses /proc and ip uses netlink.  /proc is essentially
deprecated, has no ability to retrieve multiple pieces of data at once
without issues of syncrhonization.  ifconfig doesn't show more than 9
characters in an interface name (which is allowed 15).

ip replaces ifconfig and ifrename and route and a number of other
tools, and is actually maintained and has new features being added.
ifconfig is simply obsolete and stagnent.

Get used to ip because someday that's all you will have and it is already
a better and faster tool (parsing text from /proc is not an efficient
way to get data).

Remember nslookup?  Well its not there anymore, because it too was
replaced by a better tool.

-- 
Len Sorensen
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