[TUHS] On computerese

[Edouard Klein]

George Michaelson <ggm at algebras.org> writes:

> cat is capable of endless discussion.
>
> cat thing | cat otherthing doesn't do what (some) people think.
> cat thing | cat otherthing /dev/stdin does, but there's an ordering
> point to be made.
> cat thing | cat < otherthing /dev/stdin makes the ordering point. and
> the number of lines seen.
>


I'm not sure of the point you are making with your last example, which
gave me pause. I had to run it to see what it does.

I correctly guessed that only one of thing or otherthing would be printed,
but I was not able to guess if the | or the < would take precedence.

Is there a simple reason why the < has priority over | for the stdin ?

If the < precedence was your point, why did you specify /dev/stdin ?
cat thing | cat < otherthing
makes the point.

Is there a finer point I am missing ?

Sorry for being dense. I'm happy, after more that 20 years of Unixing,
to see something new even with such supposedly basic commands. Thank you
for your brain twister.