Why does UNIX do this? Because of an error in the coding. That is all. Are you saying this specifically or metaphorically? Because I suspect that there was a r

Why does UNIX do this? Because of an error in the coding. That is all. Are you saying this specifically or metaphorically? Because I suspect that there was a rationale behind that decision. See also https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/clear.1.html https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/clear.1.html which explicitly states that it clears scrollback iff a terminal has a specified capability. Which windows terminal being of CRT origin should have. I think the issue here is actually an intersection of some terminal nuance and windows team who blindly copied the behavior that some linux guys were used to because this knowledge was buried under their gnome defaults. Iow, no need to blame unix and linux, blame those who picked one (stupid) mode of many and used that as the only mode of operation.