Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Auto-generated source files

[Miles Bader]

On Mon, Oct 13, 2003 at 12:05:21PM +0200, Thomas Zander wrote:
> A comma?  What happened to the leading dot unix standard?
> What is the rationale in doing your best to avoid set standards?

Um, because they mean _different things_.

A leading dot means `please hide this when someone does an ls.'

A leading comma means `this is a temporary file.'  A leading + is sort of a
`less temporary' file, but still not part of the source (seems to be used for
caches and the like).  A leading = means something like `this is special'
(often used for meta-info).  [You'll have to ask Tom about the exact meaning
of the last two, but I think that's basically right.]

Note that these special files are very intentionally _not hidden_, and
(1) you can tell at a glance a fair amount of info, (2) they all sort near
the beginning of a listing, (3) they avoid name clashes with conventional
source files, and (4) they're easily classifiable with simple regexps.

> Same with a + and a = which are really not unix standards?

What is the rationale for using such inflammatory language?  Why not assume
that the author is not completely stupid, and _does_ have a good reason --
and ask politely at least the first time?

-Miles
-- 
Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it
has to be us.  -- Jerry Garcia