Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watmath.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!idallen From: idallen@watmath.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix, net.cog-eng Subject: Re: hang vol_ser=123456 file=mytape mode=read_write density=1600 Message-ID: <7320@watmath.UUCP> Date: Wed, 21-Mar-84 09:56:06 EST Article-I.D.: watmath.7320 Posted: Wed Mar 21 09:56:06 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 22-Mar-84 00:10:07 EST References: <1778@utcsstat.UUCP> Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 49 X Unlike your UNIX-like syntax, the given syntax needed no explanation. -me (IAN!) The VMS/MVS syntax needs an explanation too. One needs to explain why he or she is trying to hang something so gadawfully verbose and JCL-ish on top of UNIX. -Ian F. Darwin I thought that was clear -- to make it easier for people to understand what the option flags mean, by giving them word-names instead of letters. Comments on command-language mnemonics from people using UNIX as their life's work aren't very useful; anyone with that much exposure to the system will always have the time and motivation to learn any command names and any option flags. The UNIX command language is obviously suited to intensive users; but because they are intensive users, they don't really care what the commands are called as long as it's not "verbose". My favourite idea -- let each letter of the alphabet stand for a highly-used UNIX command name. Now *that* would be in the UNIX tradition: "p -laxwwt01", "n -T37 -ms -rd1 -o15", "u", "l -las", etc... What seems silly, now that less intensive users have their hands on UNIX, is that UNIX chose to give the commands and options themselves names that are *abbreviations*. (Though what "x" is an abbreviation for in "ps -laxwwt01" isn't clear.) Even if the newcomer can somehow remember that s/he must REMOVE a UNIX file (and not DELETE it or ERASE it), s/he has to remember that REMOVE is abbreviated RM. My argument is simple -- when you first learn a system, you want to remember the command and optiona names. It's easier to remember words than abbreviations. When you find yourself using a command a lot, then *and only then* do you want to abbreviate it. No need to make people remember abbreviations for names and options right away. And if you do use full words in names and options, you seldom have to look past the first few lines in the MAN page to see which option you want, because the options are spelled out and give a hint to their meaning: Syntax: process_status (ps) [ option... ] [ process_id... ] Options: +All +Verbose Tty=xx +Wide +Userids +Running +Notty instead of (and I quote): ps [ acegklrstuvwx# ] -- -IAN! (Ian! D. Allen) University of Waterloo