udev created a directory name /dev/tape where all backup and tape tools expect a symbolic link. All backup and tape tools (such as mt tar backup restore etc.) expects to find a symbolic link to the default tape device named /dev/tape. The current udev rules creates a directory /dev/tape, making all tape tools fail to find their default tape device. The default udev rules should be rewritten to allow for the creation of a /dev/tape symbolic link. Note for Linux systems: The current behaviour is in direct violation of the documentation in the linux sources (Documentation/devices.txt). Reproducible: Always
They were added by upstream in udev-089 to match /dev/disk/. One of the reasons is that even the old /dev/tape symlink did not describe what mode the tape drive was being used in. It needs to go to the udev upstream, but I'd suspect that they will just send a patch against Documentation.txt to describe the new behaviour.
Oh, and it's NOT all tools that expect /dev/tape. There's a LOT that just default to /dev/nst0 as the sane device.
Ok, as upstream udev does explicitly wants /dev/tape to be a directory we keep this. Please file bugs about applications relying on /dev/tape being a symlink.
WONTFIX.
