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Excerpt opinions against.
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README.rst
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README.rst
@@ -305,41 +305,53 @@ to uppercase or lowercase.
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http://xahlee.info/UnixResource_dir/_/fileCaseSens.html
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http://xahlee.info/UnixResource_dir/_/fileCaseSens.html
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Strictly speaking, modern Windows filenames could be case-sensitive,
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However, there is no shortage of opinions that this was a bad choice. [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_
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but they aren't because the `Windows API for opening files`_ `is not case-sensitive`_,
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i.e. the `default call`_ to ``CreateFile``
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does not enable the ``FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS`` option.
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.. _Windows API for opening files: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa363858(v=vs.85).aspx
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.. [#] https://www.ma.utexas.edu/pipermail/maxima/2003/004483.html
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.. _is not case-sensitive: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100625
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.. _default call: http://www.nicklowe.org/2012/02/understanding-case-sensitivity-in-windows-obcaseinsensitive-file_case_sensitive_search/
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This is to maintain `compatibility with MS-DOS`_ filesystems,
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Anecdotally, case sensitivity in programs is known to be error-prone for
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which was based on 86-DOS,
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both beginners and experienced users. Bob Frankston, a Multics alumnus
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which was heavily influenced by CP/M [#CPM_case_insensitive]_ ,
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and the co-inventor of VisiCalc, once said it was the biggest mistake
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which was heavily influenced by RT-11,
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that Multics had inflicted on the world.
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which was a competitor with Unix on the PDP-11.
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.. _compatibility with MS-DOS: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247(v=vs.85).aspx
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.. [#] http://xahlee.info/UnixResource_dir/_/fileCaseSens.html
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People have strong opinions about case-sensitivity in general.
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Mac & Windows users have to have filenames read to them over the phone by
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support techs. They have to be able to write little sticky notes to their
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mothers about how to open up the mail program, without worrying about how the
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filenames are capitalized. Haven't you ever fumed over a URL with initial-caps
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in the folder names in the path, having to fiddle with capitalization until you
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get a response that's anything but a 404? Haven't you ever been secretly
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pleased that e-mail addresses aren't case-sensitive?
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In math, many typographical attributes are used to distinguish names.
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.. [#] http://blog.codinghorror.com/the-case-for-case-insensitivity/
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Besides (R-r), math uses boldface for vector quantities, outline-face
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for sets, Greek letters for angles, etc. Maxima is terribly
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impoverished this way, and doesn't even have any conventions for
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representing such things (e.g. that bold_v displays a boldface v in
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formatted output).
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[ . . . ]
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One of the most pernicious problems with C-based languages is that they're
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case-sensitive. While this decision may have made sense in 1972 when the
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language was created, one wonders why the sins of Kernighan and Ritchie have
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been blindly perpetuated for the last thirty-three years.
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Anecdotally, case sensitivity in programs is known to be error-prone for
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Unless you have extremely compelling reasons to make something case-sensitive,
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both beginners and experienced users. Bob Frankston, a Multics alumnus
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case insensitivity is a much more human being friendly design choice. Designing
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and the co-inventor of VisiCalc, once said it was the biggest mistake
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software that's easier for machines is questionable at best.
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that Multics had inflicted on the world.
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https://www.ma.utexas.edu/pipermail/maxima/2003/004483.html
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.. [#] http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2005/10/27/the-case-for-case-preserving-case-insensitivity/
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There is no longer any excuse for making humans learn and handle the quirks of
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the way computers store upper- and lower-case characters. Instead, software
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should handle the quirks of human language.
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.. [#] http://tiamat.tsotech.com/case-sensitivity-sucks
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Since it appears to have manifested out of opinion rather than necessity, it
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could be said case-sensitivity is the worst way that modern technology sucks.
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.. [#] http://www.raizlabs.com/graiz/2007/02/11/linuxunix-case-sensitivity/
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This is really stupid, it causes a ton of problems and there is no longer any
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good reason to have case sensitivity in an OS.
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There are also passionate views to the opposite effect.
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Many of us consider those filesystems which cannot preserve case, but
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Many of us consider those filesystems which cannot preserve case, but
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which accept "input" in random case, to be so utterly broken as to be
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which accept "input" in random case, to be so utterly broken as to be
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