Re: Enhancing the user experience with tcsh

On Fri, 2012-02-10 at 11:25 -0500, Eitan Adler wrote:
> Picking a random email to reply to.
> 
> My goal with this email is to reduce the amount of "controversial" changes.

I applaud this.  I've often considered doing the same but avoided it
because it was easier than fighting the bikeshed :)

> commit 3ea4ea3a59d14cb060244618dd89d7dd0170bee1
> diff --git a/etc/root/dot.cshrc b/etc/root/dot.cshrc
> --- a/etc/root/dot.cshrc
> +++ b/etc/root/dot.cshrc
> _at__at_ -7,9 +7,10 _at__at_
> 
>  alias h                history 25
>  alias j                jobs -l
> -alias la       ls -a
> +alias la       ls -aF
>  alias lf       ls -FA
> -alias ll       ls -lA
> +alias ll       ls -lAF
> +alias ls       ls -F
> 
> Two people didn't like these changes but didn't explain why. This is
> incredibly helpful, especially for a new user.  If you dislike the
> alias change please explain what bothers you about it?

I don't use the first two aliases, so I don't care about them at all.  I
do however disagree strongly with changing the default options on such a
widely used command.

This change is disruptive, and it can affect use of ls(1) in scripts.
For example, it even sticks the extra characters in the output of
"ls -1" (the number 1), which is specifically designed to be used when
piping the output elsewhere.  Please do not break this.  It is also
distracting - If I want to see what type of file a particular entry is,
why not just run "ls -l"?

It's like the tendency some Linux distributions have of 
"alias mv mv -i", although that can at least be overridden on the
command line with "-f".  The "ls -F" change cannot be overridden without
unaliasing.

>  if ($?prompt) then
>        # An interactive shell -- set some stuff up
> -       set prompt = "`/bin/hostname -s`# "
> +       set prompt = "[%n_at_%m]%c04%# "
> +       set promptchars = "%#"
> 
> Many people had alternative suggestions for the prompt. Can you please
> clarify why you believe your prompt should be the _default_ one?

I can't comment as I didn't say my suggestion should be default - but
for me the above isn't a bad choice.  I would however prefer:
set prompt = "%n_at_%m:%c04 %# "
and not
set prompt = "[%n_at_%m]%c04%# "

as that then gives you user_at_host:path in exactly the same format as you
need to use with scp, etc.


> > I use the $HOME/bin on my machines but I am not so sure to make this a general thing.
> 
> Many people expect it, and given that it is the last item in the path
> it won't affect all that much.

It's been in there forever.  I think this should stay, it would just be
too disruptive otherwise.

Gavin