On 8 Oct 2002, Gary W. Swearingen wrote:
> PL> The manpage is super unclear about sourcefile and targetfile, I have
> PL> said this for years.  Think of this paragraph: [snip]
> PL> ... as this instead `ln -s actualfile linkfile`
> That's not the best way to think of it, since "actualfile" need not be
> an actual file!  Nor "existing", as the manual has.  The "source"

Nor existing?  How so?  [!]

> concept is actually pretty good, since the "source file" is used as the
> source of data when "target file" is accessed.
>
> Confusion comes about mostly because the "ls" command shows an arrow
> pointing from the target (AKA destination) to the source, backwards from
> what most people would expect when thinking of source and
> destination/target.  The arrow points away from the target!  It also
> shows them in reverse order from how they are given to "ln".

That's a good point, the arrows do point in the "wrong" direction.  :)

> How about this:  ln [-fhinsv] source_filename [link_filename]
> I just TRY to remember them as being bassackwards from the more natural
> order of "ls":  link -> source

LOL - on a second read of your commentary I noticed 'bassackwards.'

> Anybody else have terms they'd prefer the manual use in both the
> SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION?

I like Adam's ideology about the file you want to create comes last.

Like an old man on medication with an ejaculatory condition.  Har har.

> Peter, who have you "said this for years" TO?  Have you filed a Problem
> Report which I could send a patch for?  If so, what's the number?

The "said this for years" was probably me cursing and drooling asleep.

--
Peter Leftwich
President & Founder
Video2Video Services
Box 13692, La Jolla, CA, 92039 USA
+1-413-403-9555


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