Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2012 12:15:44 +0200 From: Jonathan McKeown <j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Training wheels for commandline (was Re: Pull in upstream before 9.1 code freeze?) Message-ID: <201207051215.44799.j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> In-Reply-To: <4FF55864.8040807@FreeBSD.org> References: <CA%2BQLa9B-Dm-=hQCrbEgyfO4sKZ5aG72_PEFF9nLhyoy4GRCGrA@mail.gmail.com> <20120705082857.GB37083@server.rulingia.com> <4FF55864.8040807@FreeBSD.org>
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On Thursday 05 July 2012 11:03:32 Doug Barton wrote:
> On 07/05/2012 01:28, Peter Jeremy wrote:
> > On 2012-Jul-05 09:22:25 +0200, Jonathan McKeown
> >
> > <j.mckeown@ru.ac.za> wrote:
> >> As for the idea that Linux refugees need extra help to migrate,
> >> that's the sort of thinking that led to things like:
> >>
> >> alias dir=ls
> >
> > Whilst we're on the subject, can we please also have #define BEGIN
> > { #define END } wired into gcc to help people migrating from Algol
> > and Pascal.
>
> Um, this kind of elitist crap really isn't helpful.
It was intended to be a slightly humorous response to your original question:
> why would you *not* want a feature that tells you what to
> install if you type a command that doesn't exist on the system?
rather than ``elitist crap'' (as was the deliberately the over-the-top
comparison to Clippy). I don't think suggesting that someone who wants to use
a system learn how it works is elitist; and I don't object to optional tools
to help them ``settle in'' (but see below).
You might also notice that I made a suggestion that might help people
migrating - namely some adaptation of the Unix Rosetta Stone in the Handbook
so that people who know how to do something in Linux are quickly guided to
the best way to do it in FreeBSD (and perhaps vice versa).
> If the new feature gets created, and you don't want to use it, turn it
> off. No problem.
No. I think this is entirely the wrong way round. If the new feature is
created and you want it, turn it on. Don't make me turn off something I
didn't want in the first place. Given the choice between a system in which I
switch on whatever I need, versus one which has absolutely everything
switched on where I spend ages switching it all off/deinstalling it all, I
know which I prefer - and others have made similar comments.
> I haven't seen anything yet that says ``having this feature is a
> universally bad idea.''
Several people have pointed out that for minor benefit, this will have the
disadvantage of kicking off a subprocess searching a potentially very large
database for every typo. I would call that a bad idea; certainly by
comparison with a handbook entry or manpage along the lines I suggested. (I'd
do it myself if I used Linux more than occasionally).
Jonathan
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