<b_jonas> slashlearn block device/Block devices are a concession made in Unix to make raw hard disks and magnetic tape have a similar interface to regular files and terminals. Since magnetic tapes can\'t write individual bytes, only entire blocks, the interface isn\'t exactly the same, thus the dreaded dd obs= option was born.

56) <Oranjer> oohhh  <Oranjer> ha  <Oranjer> heh  <madbrain> and what are your other characteristics?  <Oranjer> oh, many, madbrain  <Oranjer> but it's hardly worth it to go on with listing that list here