On 5/11/24 08:12, Dan Cross wrote: > `pr` is an interesting case in point. I would guess that the name comes > from Multics, where `print` (short name `pr`) is sort of the equivalent > of `cat`, but contains a lot of extra functionality to control output, > read archives, etc. But if one has never used Multics (and let's be > honest: the total number of people in the world who have done so is a > tiny, tiny fraction of the number of computer users), one would never > guess that. When I started using Unix, I thought that "pr" was how > you sent a file to the printer; "lpr" was highly non-intuitive, but > I'd never seen a line printer at that point (our first home computer > was a Mac with an imagewriter); the idea of `cat`ing a file into the > printer device wasn't something I'd ever even considered (besides, > I think the device was owned and writable only as root). It wasn't until this thread that I became aware of `pr` as I've been an `nl` user for years. It wasn't until the message that I'm replying to that I realized the naming relation between `pr` and `lpr`. I also wonder if `pr` makes more sense in the context of teletypes wherein when you `pr`(int) a file, you end up with a printout on the teletype that you're using. Conversely `lpr` would send something to the line printer elsewhere. It makes sense in my head. I have no idea if it's accurate or not. -- Grant. . . .