Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!microsoft!w-edwinh
From: w-edwinh@microsoft.UUCP (Edwin HOOGERBEETS)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Summary of Features of Various Amiga Shells
Message-ID: <10050@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 22 Dec 89 04:13:16 GMT
Reply-To: edwin@watcsc.waterloo.edu (Edwin Hoogerbeets)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 107


In an effort to stop the shell wars that sometimes crop up, (although
they are not raging now) I have made up this chart that lists the
features of 4 common Amiga shells. The list of features of two popular
Unix shells are also put in to throw the Amiga shells into sharp relief.
(sounds poetic, eh?)

Please email me if you can add a feature that is not listed or you know
the features of another Amiga shell. [Numbers] in square brackets indicate
footnotes.  (see below)

(For people sending me submissions for the intro posting or responses to
 this posting: my email address is changing to edwin@watcsc.waterloo.edu
 or uunet!watmath!watcsc!watcsc as of Dec. 22.  Please do not mail to 
 microsoft anymore.)


                        Summary of Shell Features
                        =========================

                    Amiga Shells-----------------    Unix Shells
                    Dillon  Hawes   CBM/ARP Koren
                    shell   WShell  Shell   Sksh     csh    sh
                    ------- ------- ------- -----    ----------
scripting           yes     yes     yes     yes      yes    yes
                    [3]     [1]     [2]     [2,3]

file name           yes     no      no      yes      yes    no
completion          [4]     [5]

aliases             yes     yes     yes     yes      yes    no

history             real    conman  newcon  yes      yes    no
                    conman

multiple command    yes     no      no      yes      yes    yes
lines

auto directory      no      yes     no      no       no     no
change (input 
directory name
to cd to it)

builtin versions    yes     yes     yes     yes      yes    yes
of external                         [12]    [6]
commands

resident list       no      yes     yes     soon     n/a    n/a

shared text         no      yes     yes     yes      done by OS
(ie. residentable)

own path            yes     yes     no      yes      yes    no
                            [7]


`backtick` type     no      no      yes     yes      yes    yes
mechanism                           [12]    [8]

pipes               faked   conman  conman  faked    yes    yes
                                    [12]

line editing        yes     conman  newcon  yes      no     no

redirection         yes     yes     yes     yes      yes    yes
< and >                             [9]

append >>           yes     yes     yes     yes      yes    yes

take from <<        no      no      no      yes      yes    yes

wildcarding         yes     no      no      yes      yes    yes

shell variables     yes     no      no      yes      yes    yes

setable prompt      ascii   yes     yes     yes      yes    ascii
                            [10,11] [10]    [10,11]  [10]


setable titlebar    no      yes     no      yes      n/a    n/a
                            [10,11]         [10,11]


auto-startup       .cshrc   Startup-WShell  .skshrc  .cshrc .profile
script                              Shell-Startup


Footnotes:

1.  Recognizes ARexx (ADOS 1.4) or Execute scripts
2.  Includes #! mechanism for scripts of other shells
3.  Executable ascii text (sometimes needs script bit set)
4.  Only some custom versions have file name completion, however
5.  Rumoured to be coming soon
6.  Large version does have builtins and small version doesn't
7.  special bonus -- comes with PathMan
8.  Backtick mechanism handled by $(command) replacement to be able to
    nest commands
9.  Somewhat restrictive in the placement, however
10. Setable with special restricted symbols (which expand to specific things)
11. May insert a command into string which outputs new prompt
12. Only the ARP version


Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy New Year!

Edwin