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From: bcn@mit-eddie.UUCP (Clifford Neuman)
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: expert-friendly: are long names a wa - (nf)
Message-ID: <1028@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 10-Dec-83 13:29:29 EST
Article-I.D.: mit-eddi.1028
Posted: Sat Dec 10 13:29:29 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Dec-83 04:41:23 EST
References: <4370@uiucdcs.UUCP>
Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 25

Well, short names are not always the right thing.  Especially if one uses
several systems where the same short name means different things.  The 
best example of this is the cd command on UNIX vs. the cd command on MULTICS.
On UNIX cd stands for change directory.  I use UNIX quite frequently, and
have become very used to this convention.  CD is also a short name for
connect (which changes ones directory) on the MIT versions of TOPS-20.  On
Multics, however, cd is short for create_directory.  One side effect of
create directory is that if the directory specified already exists, and if
that directory has another name (Multics allows multiple names for files), the
name specified is deleted as an addname for the old directory, and a new 
directory with that name is created.  This means that typing "cd {dir name}"
can result in its name being deleted from an existing directory.  

The first time I did this, it took me 10 minutes to figure out and fix the
damage.  Now that I know, I still find myself doing the same thing since
I am so conditioned to cd as change directory. 

BTW, cwd (change_worrking_directory) is the multics command to change ones
directory.  Also, please don't send flames to the effect that Multics 
existed first.  I realize that, but it doesn't make the problem any less
annoying.

	~ Cliff
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