chmod and permission nomenclature

[Steve Holmes]

Please let me know if I should have sent this suggestion somewhere else
instead.

As a UNIX and Linux user of many years, but not a full-time professional,
I'm probably closer to the many newer users and prospective converts form
M$, and I'm sure that this issue is a major source of confussion, error, and
irritation to many of them as it is to me.

I get confused between chmods "u" for 'owner' not 'user', and "o" for 'user'
not 'owner'!

I can go for months working in my multi-user apps without having to change
any file perms or doing much else in the OS (I love the reliability) - but
when I do come to do something I struggle to remember many commands. This is
made worse when there is such ambiguity in a command that has such
importance for security. I often find I've  entered 'chmod u...' thinking I
was changing 'user' perms.

I know the u/g/o options are part of the cherished heritage, and no doubt to
most professionals this is a non-issue, but in the interests of furthering
the wider usage and popularity of *nix, is there any possibility that a
change could be considered ?  eg:-

'o' for owner
'g' for group
'e' for 'everyone else'

This could be done in two stages:-
a) introduce the new 'e' = 'everyone else' option and depracate 'o' for
'other users'
b) later, after a period of adjustment, re-introduce 'o' for 'owner' and
depracate 'u'.

Please let me know if this is a stupid idea, or if I should send it
somewhere else.

Regards
Steve Holmes
Director, NLT Integral Ltd, UK
Tel: +44 115 946 0766  (Fax: +44 115 946 0741 Fax)