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Aucbvax.5202 fa.unix-wizards utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!unix-wizards Sun Nov 15 23:14:16 1981 raw command line >From gwyn@UTEXAS-11 Sun Nov 15 21:57:11 1981 The user HAS to know and care about the rules applied to expand his raw command line (whether done by a command language interpreter or by the program being invoked); otherwise he cannot maintain adequate control over the expansion. The advantage of using the shell mechanisms, including escapes, is that a UNIFORM set of rules always applies, making system use easier and less error-prone.

Unless no interpretation is done at all, any GENERAL mechanism will of necessity include an escape of some kind.

The idea of each program applying its own rules to interpret the shell command line would turn UNIX into something quite different. Other systems have traditionally done this with predictably dismal results; why should we want to follow them?

It is probably not a good idea to force naive users to communicate their desires to the system through the UNIX shell (or Cshell) anyway. A better approach is to have them run an application-specific interface (menu- or form-oriented) that is better engineered for their needs. Geotronics has taken this approach several times in the past, and it has worked quite well. -------

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