mirror of
https://github.com/nbeaver/why-linux-is-better.git
synced 2025-08-30 09:10:26 +02:00
Excerpt opinions against.
This commit is contained in:
64
README.rst
64
README.rst
@@ -305,41 +305,53 @@ to uppercase or lowercase.
|
||||
|
||||
http://xahlee.info/UnixResource_dir/_/fileCaseSens.html
|
||||
|
||||
Strictly speaking, modern Windows filenames could be case-sensitive,
|
||||
but they aren't because the `Windows API for opening files`_ `is not case-sensitive`_,
|
||||
i.e. the `default call`_ to ``CreateFile``
|
||||
does not enable the ``FILE_FLAG_POSIX_SEMANTICS`` option.
|
||||
However, there is no shortage of opinions that this was a bad choice. [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_
|
||||
|
||||
.. _Windows API for opening files: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa363858(v=vs.85).aspx
|
||||
.. _is not case-sensitive: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100625
|
||||
.. _default call: http://www.nicklowe.org/2012/02/understanding-case-sensitivity-in-windows-obcaseinsensitive-file_case_sensitive_search/
|
||||
.. [#] https://www.ma.utexas.edu/pipermail/maxima/2003/004483.html
|
||||
|
||||
This is to maintain `compatibility with MS-DOS`_ filesystems,
|
||||
which was based on 86-DOS,
|
||||
which was heavily influenced by CP/M [#CPM_case_insensitive]_ ,
|
||||
which was heavily influenced by RT-11,
|
||||
which was a competitor with Unix on the PDP-11.
|
||||
Anecdotally, case sensitivity in programs is known to be error-prone for
|
||||
both beginners and experienced users. Bob Frankston, a Multics alumnus
|
||||
and the co-inventor of VisiCalc, once said it was the biggest mistake
|
||||
that Multics had inflicted on the world.
|
||||
|
||||
.. _compatibility with MS-DOS: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247(v=vs.85).aspx
|
||||
.. [#] http://xahlee.info/UnixResource_dir/_/fileCaseSens.html
|
||||
|
||||
People have strong opinions about case-sensitivity in general.
|
||||
Mac & Windows users have to have filenames read to them over the phone by
|
||||
support techs. They have to be able to write little sticky notes to their
|
||||
mothers about how to open up the mail program, without worrying about how the
|
||||
filenames are capitalized. Haven't you ever fumed over a URL with initial-caps
|
||||
in the folder names in the path, having to fiddle with capitalization until you
|
||||
get a response that's anything but a 404? Haven't you ever been secretly
|
||||
pleased that e-mail addresses aren't case-sensitive?
|
||||
|
||||
In math, many typographical attributes are used to distinguish names.
|
||||
Besides (R-r), math uses boldface for vector quantities, outline-face
|
||||
for sets, Greek letters for angles, etc. Maxima is terribly
|
||||
impoverished this way, and doesn't even have any conventions for
|
||||
representing such things (e.g. that bold_v displays a boldface v in
|
||||
formatted output).
|
||||
.. [#] http://blog.codinghorror.com/the-case-for-case-insensitivity/
|
||||
|
||||
[ . . . ]
|
||||
One of the most pernicious problems with C-based languages is that they're
|
||||
case-sensitive. While this decision may have made sense in 1972 when the
|
||||
language was created, one wonders why the sins of Kernighan and Ritchie have
|
||||
been blindly perpetuated for the last thirty-three years.
|
||||
|
||||
Anecdotally, case sensitivity in programs is known to be error-prone for
|
||||
both beginners and experienced users. Bob Frankston, a Multics alumnus
|
||||
and the co-inventor of VisiCalc, once said it was the biggest mistake
|
||||
that Multics had inflicted on the world.
|
||||
Unless you have extremely compelling reasons to make something case-sensitive,
|
||||
case insensitivity is a much more human being friendly design choice. Designing
|
||||
software that's easier for machines is questionable at best.
|
||||
|
||||
https://www.ma.utexas.edu/pipermail/maxima/2003/004483.html
|
||||
.. [#] http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2005/10/27/the-case-for-case-preserving-case-insensitivity/
|
||||
|
||||
There is no longer any excuse for making humans learn and handle the quirks of
|
||||
the way computers store upper- and lower-case characters. Instead, software
|
||||
should handle the quirks of human language.
|
||||
|
||||
.. [#] http://tiamat.tsotech.com/case-sensitivity-sucks
|
||||
|
||||
Since it appears to have manifested out of opinion rather than necessity, it
|
||||
could be said case-sensitivity is the worst way that modern technology sucks.
|
||||
|
||||
.. [#] http://www.raizlabs.com/graiz/2007/02/11/linuxunix-case-sensitivity/
|
||||
|
||||
This is really stupid, it causes a ton of problems and there is no longer any
|
||||
good reason to have case sensitivity in an OS.
|
||||
|
||||
There are also passionate views to the opposite effect.
|
||||
|
||||
Many of us consider those filesystems which cannot preserve case, but
|
||||
which accept "input" in random case, to be so utterly broken as to be
|
||||
|
Reference in New Issue
Block a user