In message <1o1Fi.33230$RX.26068@newssvr11.news.prodigy.net>, samwyse wrote:

> A hard-link, OTOH, allows
> direct access to the contents of a file, as long as it is on the same
> filesystem. No extra steps are required, so the process runs a few
> microseconds faster, and directory-level permissions can't get in the way.

Hard links are best avoided, because of the confusion they can cause.