[NTLUG:Discuss] Maximum files per directory

[Richard Wolfe]

Is there a limit to the number of files I can put in a single
directory? And even if there's no limit, are there practical
reasons why I wouldn't want to exceed a certain number of files?
Is 10,000 ok? How about 100,000? I'm running 2.4.18 (RedHat
8.0), and the filesystem is ext3, if any of that makes a
difference.

TIA,
 Richard Wolfe
 Linux Newbie