hang vol_ser=123456 file=mytape mode=read_write density=1600

[Brad Templeton]

I find objection to this syntax on the grounds that it isn't unix a
bit questionable.  There is almost nothing consistent in the syntax
of unix commands.
Why do people tolerate "dd", which has a syntax like this?
Why do some commands use dashes for their options, while others like
tar, dump and ps use just the letters?  Why do half the commands
have a syntax -b value and the others use -bvalue?
Why do sort, uniq and vi have options specified with a "+"?
Why do some commands allow options anywhere on the line and others
only at the beginning?

Suggesting you can type a command with no args and get a usage line is
total ****.  Many commands do things when typed alone, and some that
don't still don't give usage lines.  (QNX has a system that if absolutely
no args are given (argc==0) then you give a usage line, and the shell has
a means to call routines like this -> "command ?" so that is a consistent
system, but don't say unix has one.)

The syntax used at waterloo is a lot easier to remember and has been designed
so that the same option (ie. file= ) has the same name and syntax on every
command.  Furthermore, there is an abbreviator that allows options like
mode=read to be typed as m=read if that is unambiguous.
-- 
	Brad Templeton - Waterloo, Ontario (519) 886-7304