From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.2 (2018-09-13) on inbox.vuxu.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.6 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_SIGNED,DKIM_VALID, DKIM_VALID_AU,FREEMAIL_FORGED_FROMDOMAIN,FREEMAIL_FROM, HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS,MAILING_LIST_MULTI,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.2 Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (minnie.tuhs.org [45.79.103.53]) by inbox.vuxu.org (OpenSMTPD) with ESMTP id 6fb231d3 for ; Mon, 28 Oct 2019 20:43:38 +0000 (UTC) Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 3A9AA9B9CB; Tue, 29 Oct 2019 06:43:37 +1000 (AEST) Received: from minnie.tuhs.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9BC229B5BF; Tue, 29 Oct 2019 06:43:20 +1000 (AEST) Authentication-Results: minnie.tuhs.org; dkim=pass (2048-bit key; unprotected) header.d=gmail.com header.i=@gmail.com header.b="oBTMtcEF"; dkim-atps=neutral Received: by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix, from userid 112) id 2DA6B9B5BF; Tue, 29 Oct 2019 06:43:18 +1000 (AEST) Received: from mail-vk1-f193.google.com (mail-vk1-f193.google.com [209.85.221.193]) by minnie.tuhs.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id B7B289B57D; Tue, 29 Oct 2019 06:43:17 +1000 (AEST) Received: by mail-vk1-f193.google.com with SMTP id o2so2354732vkc.13; Mon, 28 Oct 2019 13:43:17 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20161025; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc; bh=VCVoGuLqD1Ad0mmBUjx4m4L1v78YZ+KvGuPPeucrEGU=; b=oBTMtcEF/L9B6mIjALB+1N6GtvbSa8xnaf86iSlrSRkoRi/xtCZwjDPL4k/bph0RMX CtWuHFneRQo6gLu2+j4xgfmT8GOzFlCB2ySn4fNdpTdRE7PdDxYCW71SP0rFLr1l0Yv9 pQefVr15LWTY3ynsNCkTaV1vAFukHDeyrl2501Vrj2AVAfcj0TSe/U+as0XWmESsHG+X UCUFBU02E5jbBYZ2scL504r1ycALt0eTAF0EmAj4GT/YcYzmKyBYDhttBdR86swN2Gm2 1Z0kdGA+bDIofd/UU4/2sLdItJ9mGWSAmspl4riUHsEJ73s3NQuRlVrNufrO64rWqTKz GkQw== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:in-reply-to:references:from:date :message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=VCVoGuLqD1Ad0mmBUjx4m4L1v78YZ+KvGuPPeucrEGU=; b=ZuVCwMwBgCh/RNqN7eaqGKMe8ySaiGo0rra0V9lmQ3epCKObhBbiaqv9080O1KFo82 HARUQVhQjkRTHQrmllcxMzte+HmZwrs/W3V4P2Fg/yv7hdgJuLpCdKdE+CS8f8DHBcUk mfWoHpmiKURtBCE9lGwFavMfx1+Q9OjlVZjIZqc8ik1owLTuKPBo28ZfL2Op9AgRw6Op bCvfS3bXz5EDguEZ6EanKx2bkxEUHFpePJnYgJo4XmA5Z6XpCvlVO/JuAK0HFKdKp8Nn +ZIpitKq0aSbBvBABErmV5URI220Q3lCP63tfCcz1eEuue850IK/d7jMhLCjNlEfkyqF oJBg== X-Gm-Message-State: APjAAAXlGiH5uOsRemgWEw5vuKhMchvyPzWpnU6JGj5X8r3pE1OzDjfu /xRv3OfGQbhmsBIq/DIyKO9dWHz/OUQH0Irp7oqajg== X-Google-Smtp-Source: APXvYqzeh49P5GwJ/0gJnnIGN/RTdfmwkM9XcrAVaByKTWrxYY2uLTsClDvJ12LnAwGcqjKsoQKCZeVPBk387uT9Q5I= X-Received: by 2002:a1f:18ca:: with SMTP id 193mr9741610vky.66.1572295396742; Mon, 28 Oct 2019 13:43:16 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 2002:ab0:2747:0:0:0:0:0 with HTTP; Mon, 28 Oct 2019 13:43:16 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: <201910272031.x9RKVSem124842@tahoe.cs.Dartmouth.EDU> <51f2d838-d097-a93f-b44d-9c670d206d2b@tnetconsulting.net> From: Paul Winalski Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2019 16:43:16 -0400 Message-ID: To: Dave Horsfall Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Subject: Re: [TUHS] UNIX Backslash History X-BeenThere: tuhs@minnie.tuhs.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.26 Precedence: list List-Id: The Unix Heritage Society mailing list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Cc: The Eunuchs Hysterical Society , Computer Old Farts Followers Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" On 10/28/19, Dave Horsfall wrote: > On Mon, 28 Oct 2019, Steve Nickolas wrote: > >> 86-DOS actually did use ":" as a prompt character. This was changed for >> IBM's release, for some clone releases, and for MS-DOS 2.0. > > The best I've ever seen was RT-11's "." - talk about minimalist... > > Actually this thread probably belongs on COFF by now. RT-11 was following standard DEC practice by using "." as its command prompt. The "monitor dot" was the command prompt in both TOPS-10 and TOPS-20. Most DEC operating systems, including RT-11, TOPS-10/20, and VMS, used "/" as a prefix on command options; "-" performs this function on UNIX since "/" is the directory delimiter. Back in the days of stand-alone programs, physical switches on the console were used to set program options. This of course won't work when you have multiprogramming. I was told that DEC chose "/" because it looks like a toggle switch. Command options in fact were initially called "switches". -Paul W.