Overflowing the Bit Bucket
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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)