<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Early on, here in Faraway Land, I was told Unix command naming rules were these:</span><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">however can’t recall seeing it written:<div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2-7 chars - ie. short + reserved single chars for personal use</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>lower case</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>non-dictionary words - allowing 3rd party software a clear run</div><div><br></div><div>Of course, “sort” fails those rules :)</div><div><br></div><div>BSD didn’t use those rules (backup & restore).</div><div><br></div><div>For non touch typists, shorter commands & keywords are helpful.</div></div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On 16 Sep 2024, at 05:21, Rik Farrow <rik@rikfarrow.com> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important;">Was the brevity typical of Unix command names a function of the tiny disk and memory available? Or more a function of having a Teletype 33 for input? Of course, it could simply be that 'cat' is more convenient than 'catenate'...</span><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Rik</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">--<br>Steve Jenkin, IT Systems and Design <br>0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)<br>PO Box 38, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA<br><br>mailto:sjenkin@canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin</div>
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