[Python-Dev] POSIX [Fuzziness in io module specs]

[James Y Knight]

On Sep 18, 2009, at 8:58 PM, Antoine Pitrou wrote:
> I'm not sure that's true. Various Unix/Linux man pages are readily
> available on the Internet, but they regard specific implementations,
> which often depart from the spec in one way or another. POSIX specs
> themselves don't seem to be easily reachable; you might even have to  
> pay
> for them.


The POSIX specs are quite easily accessible, without payment.

I got my quote by doing:
     man 3p ftruncate

I had previously done:
     apt-get install manpages-posix-dev
to install the posix manpages. That package contains the POSIX  
standard as of 2003. Which is good enough for most uses. It seems to  
be available here, if you don't have a debian system:
     http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/docs/man-pages/man-pages-posix/

There's also a webpage, containing the official POSIX 2008 standard:
    http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/

And to navigate to ftruncate from there, click "System Interfaces" in  
the left pane, "System Interfaces" in the bottom pane, and then  
"ftruncate" in the bottom pane.

James