Subject: bug#10281: [1003.1(2008)/Issue 7 0000527]: du and files found via multiple command line arguments

From: Paul Eggert <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:13:56 -0800

On 01/13/2012, Geoff Clare wrote:

> One problem with requiring Option 2A is that it requires du to use
> much more memory for hierarchies where there are large numbers
> of files with link count 1.  This could be a problem for embedded
> systems in particular.

The extra memory shouldn't be needed in the typical case
where there is at most one file operand and where -L is not used.
In the typical case, du is within its rights to not hash
files whose link count is 1, even if Option 2A is required.
This is because in the typical case du can't encounter the
same file twice if its link count is 1.