standard input -- Definition

The standard  input is the device  or file from which  data are accepted by
default.  It  is defined in the header file  stdio.h under the abbreviation
stdin,  and  will  be the  computer's  keyboard  unless  redirected by  the
operating system, a shell, or freopen.

The shell lets  you redirect the standard input device.   To do so, use the
shell operator <. For example

    mail fwb <textfile

the standard  input device from your terminal to  file textfile; in effect,
this commands mails the contents of textfile to user fwb.

See Also

Programming COHERENT,
stdin,
stdio.h

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness