On 2004-08-27T00:09-0400, Paul Jarc wrote: ) > (note that this implies that "ls --help" does violate ) > the Utility Syntax Guidelines, but that it's OK to do so) ) Right - since it doesn't follow the syntax, the guidelines don't have ) anything to say about the meaning of --help. But the guidelines do ) have something to say about the meaning of anything that does follow ) the syntax, including -42 (specifically, that its meaning should be ) the same as the meaning of -24, -2 -4, and -4 -2). I'm no happier ) about this than you are, but that's what the standard says.
Arguments are allowed to be position-sensitive, i.e. -4 -2 and -2 -4 do not necessarily have to mean the same thing. As for -42 meaning the same as -4 -2, though, do we have a problem with making that so? Can we make the rule be that digits multiply the current line count by ten then get added? -4 -2 would hence be the same as traditional -42, and -42 would hence be allowed back in. -- Daniel Reed <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://people.redhat.com/djr/ http://naim.n.ml.org/ Punishment often increases the feelings of estrangement and strengthens the power of resistance. -- Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher _______________________________________________ Bug-coreutils mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-coreutils
