[9fans] spaces in filenames

[Michael Baldwin <m@orb.sh>]

really, what is the big deal with spaces in filenames?  yeah, there are
some file formats here and there, and some shell files that maybe aren't
so careful, so it's not a cakewalk, but it isn't some Big Huge Problem.
using shells like rc that manage lists of string works quite well; if
you need a list of files use "ls" not "echo"; if you really want to use
the output of a command with backquote, set ifs to \t\n.

geoff talks about how maddening it is to use filenames with spaces on
mac os x.  i use mac os x too, and have lots of files with spaces, and i
use quotes on the occasion that i refer to them in the shell.  i haven't
noticed any "problem" that would cause me to go mad, and everything
works just fine from the shell and the gui for me.  i send spacey
filenames to web sites, attach/detach them from mail messages, move them
about, and things work.  what am i missing?  now that i can use spaces,
i kinda like using space instead of _ in names -- easier to type and
easier to read.  why banish the poor lowly space character?  so call me
a communist for my radical views.

the only problem i've had with spaces is getting to spacey files on
windows and unix from plan 9 and inferno.  i took out the space
restriction in inferno and things work swimmingly.  yeah, i know there
are gotchas here and there, but they really haven't been an issue.  i
much prefer the ability to manipulate files to the odd gotcha.

oh, the non-printable range also includes 7F, so it's really 00-1F and
7F-9F that are restricted.  it does seem to be a Good Thing that \t and
\n are not allowed, leaving them usable as delimiters.  unix lets you
create such files, but they definitely seem rare, and it is a bit harder
to do from a gui.  who cares if they don't work right.  but leave poor
space alone.