Hm I was more thinking about open FD, not just special file entries on the FS. Well, I agree with you: it's a little weird and in some cases dangerous to have the char/block devices in the FS, and it has already been worked-around multiple times in different ways, and even in some cases simultaneously with multiple different work-around. NT is better on that point. But not once the "files" are open and you've got FD.