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I actually love the term he used. I started my programming in the Windows world and wasn't exposed to POSIX command line stuff until later. I'm comfortable with
by kohanz 11y ago
I actually love the term he used. I started my programming in the Windows world and wasn't exposed to POSIX command line stuff until later. I'm comfortable with it nowadays, yet I know exactly what he's talking about with the 'wall'. To me, the 'bullshittery' would mean the inconsistency of it all. There's no standard for command-line tools, so they all tend to be slightly different. The end result is having to learn and memorize a ton of (what are in the end useless) variations of syntax.
Please note I'm not saying anything is better in the Windows world; far from it. I'm more talking about the transition from GUI tools, where feeling your way around in the dark is much less daunting to the uninitiated, to the command line.
- chubot 11y agoYeah but the shell actually provides a mechanism that allows you to FORGET all the bullshit -- functions. I look up commands on the Internet, and then put them into single line shell script functions with a name. And then I write a comment about how it works, and check it into a git repo. Then I never have to remember the exact invocation. I just type my nice function name, which is consistently named, and describes in my own words what the command does. It's odd to me to see my coworkers and others very slowly coming up with a long command line, getting it wrong, very slowly correcting it, etc. I don't have time for that. I just grep my shell scripts directory for something close, copy and paste, edit it in my editor, and then run it. It's very quick and puts no strain on the mind. Actually I find enjoyable to put my own names on arcane command line syntax.
- copperx 11y agoI find it depressing that after decades of working in the command line, this never occurred to me.