portsnap

[jb]

Robert Bonomi <bonomi <at> mail.r-bonomi.com> writes:

> ... 
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command-line_interface
> > ...
> > The general pattern of an OS command line interface is: prompt command 
> > param1 param2 param3 ... paramN
> 
> No argument -- for _that_ meaning of the word.  That, however, is not
> the only valid usage or interpretation of it.
> 
> The truth that you refuse to acknowledge is that in *many* cases, one or
> more of the 'params' on the command line are commands TO THE APPlICATION
> BEING INVOKED.
> > A simple CLI will display a prompt, accept a "command line" typed by the 
> >  [drivelectomy]
> > So, we are discussing here things that are obvious. People who write 
> > technical or user manuals should have a clue of what they are writing and 
> > talking about (e.g. what is "a command", also called "an entry"). 
> > Otherwise they screw up the users and "it's a software error" sysadmins. 
> 
> the authors of the portsnap docs (and the _numerous_ other applications
> that describe the use of certain keywords used as input to that appication
> ARE correct -- despite your boneheaded denial of that fact.
> 
> A "command" specifies, to the application to which it is directed, _what_
> (or _which_, if you prefer) operation/activity/function is to be performed.
> In grammar terms it is a =verb=.
> 
> A 'parameter'/'option'/'switch'/etc. instructs the application to which it 
> is directed to , _how_ to perform the particular action.  It _modifies_ the
> action to be performed.  In grammar terms it is an =adverb=.
> 
> This distinction has been known to, understood, and employed by those who
> write/read/use technical instructions for well over THREE HUNDRED years.
> (early multi-function machinery, such as a crane, could only perform one
> action at a time -- e.g. traverse, adjust boom, lift; you moved one set
> of controls to command the machine _which_ action to perform, and then
> another set of controls to ccntrol how it is done.

... also responding to kpneal <at> pobox.com> ...

With regard to definition of "a command" as we practice and argue about here:

In general (see bash(1), SHELL GRAMMAR, Simple Commands), a command is 
an executable preceded by optional vars and followed by optional parameters.

Look at PORTSNAP(8)'s synopsis again.
The command is 'portsnap', anything else are parameters to it.

If you call a parameter a command here, you imply that it has attributes of
a command, which clearly does not, as referenced by me above.

So, basically, it is an indicator, verbosely (but not required to be so if it
were also verbosely defined in man page) describing an action parameter, e.g.
extract, telling the actual 'portsnap' command what to do (yes - what to do,
and not how to do it).

jb