3 ms·

> "Linux becomes much more enjoyable when you can type `untar <file>` instead of remembering the magical incantation `sudo tar -xzvf <file>`." I love aliases a

> "Linux becomes much more enjoyable when you can type `untar <file>` instead of remembering the magical incantation `sudo tar -xzvf <file>`." I love aliases as well, but I remember the particular command for tar extraction (tar xzf) via the mnemonic "eXtract Zee Files" said with an overly stereotypical German accent in my mind. Silly, I know, but I have never forgotten it since.

tbirdz 13y ago
I have heard people say this before, and it always makes me wonder. Why not remember it as "extract zipped file" instead of "extract zee file"? That is after all a more accurate description of the flags you are giving tar, z indicating that the tarball had been gzipped. You can also specify j for bz2, and J for xz (sorry I don't know any cute sayings for that). Of even more interest to you is probably that with modern version of GNU tar, you can just say tar xf filename, and then tar will automatically determine whether it should use gzip, bzip2, or xz based on the filetype. So you can save yourself an extra letter there.
- yareally 13y ago
  Silly/ridiculous references can be easier to remember with less repetition of use (to me at least). The more literal meaning might be more straight forward, but the more absurd one imprints on the mind easier at times. One of the silliest (but effective) examples I've seen is for identifying the songs/calls of birds[1]. Bird calls tend to be kind of abstract to classify, but if you can match them up to a silly mnemonic, they're pretty easy to remember (for me at least). I think everyone encounters at least a few in school. Rules of integration by parts[2] Order of Operations[3] OSI Model[4] Biology Taxonomy Resistor Color Codes Trig functions [1] http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integration_by_parts#LIATE_rule http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integration_by_parts#LIATE_rule [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations#Mnemonics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations#Mnemonics [4] http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/34490-your-mnemonic-trick-remember-osi-layer.html http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/34490-your-mnemon...
  - tbirdz 13y ago
    I understand what you are saying but it just seems a little silly to me when the "silly mnemonic" is exactly the same as the "actual meaning" except for the word associated with one letter -- xzf meaning extract zee file instead of extract zipped file. To relate with some of the examples you provided, it would be like remembering the order of operations PEMDAS by remembering Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Sally.
stock_toaster 13y ago
Modern tar versions detect compression automatically when trying to decompress, so you don't even need to the z. Heck, you don't even need the dashes! eg. `tar xf foo.tar.gz`
tjbiddle 13y ago
I said 'eXtract Zee Files' in the overly stereotypical German accent before even finishing your sentence saying that you did it as well (And I said it out loud, not in my mind). But more on context - that's actually a great mnemonic. Silly me, just memorizing things.

tbirdz 13y ago

I have heard people say this before, and it always makes me wonder. Why not remember it as "extract zipped file" instead of "extract zee file"? That is after all a more accurate description of the flags you are giving tar, z indicating that the tarball had been gzipped. You can also specify j for bz2, and J for xz (sorry I don't know any cute sayings for that). Of even more interest to you is probably that with modern version of GNU tar, you can just say tar xf filename, and then tar will automatically determine whether it should use gzip, bzip2, or xz based on the filetype. So you can save yourself an extra letter there.

yareally 13y ago
Silly/ridiculous references can be easier to remember with less repetition of use (to me at least). The more literal meaning might be more straight forward, but the more absurd one imprints on the mind easier at times. One of the silliest (but effective) examples I've seen is for identifying the songs/calls of birds[1]. Bird calls tend to be kind of abstract to classify, but if you can match them up to a silly mnemonic, they're pretty easy to remember (for me at least). I think everyone encounters at least a few in school. Rules of integration by parts[2] Order of Operations[3] OSI Model[4] Biology Taxonomy Resistor Color Codes Trig functions [1] http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html http://www.stanford.edu/~kendric/birds/birdsong.html [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integration_by_parts#LIATE_rule http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integration_by_parts#LIATE_rule [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations#Mnemonics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_operations#Mnemonics [4] http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/34490-your-mnemonic-trick-remember-osi-layer.html http://www.techexams.net/forums/ccna-ccent/34490-your-mnemon...
- tbirdz 13y ago
  I understand what you are saying but it just seems a little silly to me when the "silly mnemonic" is exactly the same as the "actual meaning" except for the word associated with one letter -- xzf meaning extract zee file instead of extract zipped file. To relate with some of the examples you provided, it would be like remembering the order of operations PEMDAS by remembering Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Sally.

stock_toaster 13y ago

Modern tar versions detect compression automatically when trying to decompress, so you don't even need to the z. Heck, you don't even need the dashes! eg. `tar xf foo.tar.gz`

tjbiddle 13y ago

I said 'eXtract Zee Files' in the overly stereotypical German accent before even finishing your sentence saying that you did it as well (And I said it out loud, not in my mind). But more on context - that's actually a great mnemonic. Silly me, just memorizing things.