Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2012 11:03:34 -0700 From: Doug Barton <dougb@FreeBSD.org> To: Alberto Villa <avilla@FreeBSD.org> Cc: Chris Rees <crees@freebsd.org>, svn-ports-head@freebsd.org, svn-ports-all@freebsd.org, ports-committers@freebsd.org, Bryan Drewery <bdrewery@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: svn commit: r304411 - head Message-ID: <505765F6.2080002@FreeBSD.org> In-Reply-To: <CAJp7RHaFEQUA6U%2BGYnb=cvFZGRtAsgXnbFtDwh%2BZKEJOOc9Deg@mail.gmail.com> References: <201209171714.q8HHEEtY057677@svn.freebsd.org> <50575D0F.6090502@FreeBSD.org> <CADLo83_Rg9vvMZ8HA3s71nfZ0oePcodHcWv84Sbbdhg1iM_o-g@mail.gmail.com> <50576033.2090201@FreeBSD.org> <CAJp7RHaFEQUA6U%2BGYnb=cvFZGRtAsgXnbFtDwh%2BZKEJOOc9Deg@mail.gmail.com>
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On 09/17/2012 10:54, Alberto Villa wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 7:38 PM, Doug Barton <dougb@freebsd.org> wrote:
>> My point was not, "Teach me the pkg syntax for the -o option." My point
>> was, "It's stupid for pkg to use exactly the opposite syntax from the 2
>> most popular ports management tools for the same option flag."
>
> "old:new" is more intuitive than "-o new old" from portmaster (I guess
> portupgrade does the same). It's what people is accustomed to from
> tools like `sed`, too.
I don't disagree with you, but that's not the point.
When I was asked to add the -o option to portmaster it only made sense
to copy the syntax that portupgrade users were already familiar with.
Sometimes in UI design you have to go with the flow, rather than
implementing your own personal idea of "perfect."
The best option would have been for pkg to use the same flag, and the
same syntax. The second best option would have been to use a different
flag (given that apparently pkg's -o option does something different
than what portupgrade and portmaster do?). Using the same option flag,
but with different syntax, is the worst possible choice.
I realize that it's too late for pkg to change, but hopefully by
pointing this out someone else can learn something.
Doug
--
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do
something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what
I can do.
-- Edward Everett Hale, (1822 - 1909)
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