Re: [TUHS] Systematic approach to command-line interfaces

[Anthony Martin <ality@pbrane.org>]

Michael Siegel <msi@malbolge.net> once said:
> So, I've prepared a bit of a write-up, pondering on the pros and cons
> of two different ways of having task-specific tool sets
> (non-hierarchical command sets vs. sub-commands) that is available at
>
>   https://www.msiism.org/files/doc/unix-like_command-line_interfaces.html
>
> I tend to think the sub-command approach is better. But I'm neither a UI
> nor a Unix expert and have no formal training in computer things. So, I
> thought this would be a good place to ask for comment (and get some
> historical perspective).

You're missing the approach taken in Plan 9 (and
10th edition Unix): put related commands in a
directory and use a shell that doesn't restrict
the first argument of a command to a single path
element.

This lets you execute commands like:

	auth/as
	disk/prep
	git/rebase
	ip/ping
	ndb/dns
	upas/send

without having a prefix on every command name or
single large binaries with every command linked
in as subcommands.

Cheers,
  Anthony