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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!koved
From: koved@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: Re: expert-friendly: are long names - (nf)
Message-ID: <4250@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 5-Dec-83 20:49:47 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.4250
Posted: Mon Dec  5 20:49:47 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 7-Dec-83 00:37:09 EST
References: <150@tekcad.UUCP>
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 37

Frank,
You seem to have misinterpreted my comments.  I agree that there is 
a need to have short forms of commands for those people who consider
themselves to be experts, and do not want to type the whole (50 character)
command name.  And, yes, there are systems which allow you to have
more than one allowable version of a command name which can be recognized
by the system.  Let the computer work for you!  The computer can have
both the long name, and its abbreviations forms (such as the shortest
form of the command which will be recognized), and synonyms.  I leave
it up to the implementers as to which way to set up the synonyms (either
remove is a synonym of rm, or visa versa).  I am sure there are arguments
for both.

I am also a computer hack.  I am also a novice and an occasional user.
I can be in any of these categories depending upon the computer and
the software I am using!  If the systems are not flexible, I am not
likely to become an expert because it requires too much time to learn
all of the tricks to become an expert.  If a system allows room to learn
at my own speed (with long command names), I am more likely to use the
system because I do not need a reference manual open next to me to use
the system.  A really good system is one which allows both the expert
and the novice, as well as a whole range inbetween!

Now, to make such a system, you would need both the shortest (or an
abbreviation list) and the longest forms defined.  The abbreviation
and synonym (alias) recognition software then takes over.  The nicest
system that I can think of would be one which would let me enter
as much of the command name as I wanted...the system would fill in
the rest after I hit the space bar or return key.  Of course, I need
the ability to surpress the expansion of the command name (for the
experts who don't care what the whole name is).

There have been a variety of such descriptions of this nature.  Work
needs to be done to understand them better.  Anybody want to volunteer?

Larry Koved
U. Of Maryland, College Park