command line options (UNIX-specific)

[der Mouse]

In article <14020029 at hpisod2.HP.COM>, decot at hpisod2.HP.COM (Dave Decot) writes:
> Why don't we bite the bullet and change our kernels to refuse to
> create files whose names begin with a hyphen or contain non-printing
> characters (unless special arrangements are made by the user to
> permit it)?

The reason *I* don't is that it's of dubious benefit and very uglyly
breaks the current almost-clean file name semantics.  ("Almost" clean
because of the high-bit botch and the slash and null restrictions.)

I'd also want to see what the "special arrangements" you mention are.

In short, I believe the orthogonality we have is well worth the trouble
it causes.

					der Mouse

			uucp: mouse at mcgill-vision.uucp
			arpa: mouse at larry.mcrcim.mcgill.edu