Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!oddjob!mimsy!chris From: chris@mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek) Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards Subject: Re: multiple names for files Message-ID: <9675@mimsy.UUCP> Date: Tue, 8-Dec-87 04:40:19 EST Article-I.D.: mimsy.9675 Posted: Tue Dec 8 04:40:19 1987 Date-Received: Sun, 13-Dec-87 09:36:06 EST References: <9636@mimsy.UUCP> <142700017@occrsh.ATT.COM> Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742 Lines: 24 In article <142700017@occrsh.ATT.COM> rjd@occrsh.ATT.COM writes: [regarding me and someone else blathering on about `rm ./-b'] >... one easy way to remove a filname beginning with a '-' is to take >advantage of the "getopt" processing of rm (Who says it uses getopt?! In fact, the 4BSD rm does not.) >and make the "-" started file the second in a list of files to remove. I already sent a response via mail, but decided that I just could not let this go. (Sorry...) Yes, `rm nonexistentfile -b' works. That is not the point. Knowing this is like knowing that 0*x = 0 and 1*x = x: useful, but if you know *how to multiply*, you know so much more. `./-b' is a fully general way to name the file `-b' without starting it with the dreaded hyphen. ./-b ALWAYS WORKS, just as a proper multiplication algorithm computes x from 1*x. As long as they are not unweildy, general solutions should be preferred over specific solutions. That is what Unix is all about! We now return you to your usual netnews. . . . -- In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Univ of MD Comp Sci Dept (+1 301 454 7690) Domain: chris@mimsy.umd.edu Path: uunet!mimsy!chris