[NTLUG:Discuss] Stupid Question

[Chris Cox]

/dev/null is a device where you can safely dump things that
you DO NOT want.  It is useful when you need to redirect
output somewhere and do not want the output to occupy
any physical resources.  /dev/null effectively eats anything
directed to it.  You can use it on input do... if you
need to simulate a forever empty file.... probably not
as interesting.

cat Library-of-Congress.txt >/dev/null

or better...

cat MS-XP-Documentation.doc >/dev/null

It doesn't remove the files in these cases, just the ouput
from the command is "eaten" by directing it to /dev/null.

Regards,
Chris

WILLIAM PEARSON wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I'm a newbie to linux so pardon the stupid question. What exactly does the
> "/dev/null" directory do?
> 
> Is it a directory where things are routinely purged or is it something
> else? If a file were to be placed in that directory what exactly would
> happen to it??
> 
> Will
> 
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