[Info-vax] HP wins Oracle Itanium case

[Paul Sture]

On Wed, 22 Aug 2012 08:25:17 -0500, Bob Koehler wrote:

> In article <k11fkd$i67$2 at dont-email.me>, David Froble
> <davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes:
>> 
>> I believe only the first 4 characters of a DCL verb are considered by
>> the system, so you could limit your typing.  But completing the words
>> gives meaning and understanding to DCL.
> 
>    But that was documented as a "happens to be so" feature that might
>    change in the future.

And in the same section of documentation it recommended that you should 
write DCL procedures using fuller verbs, to avoid breakage if hat 4 
character limit got raised.

>    Imagine my wake up when I installed Lotus/123 on VMS and "lo" was no
>    longer unique.  Now "lo" is an official alias.

I was miffed when "t" for TYPE was no longer considered unique.  I've a 
vague feeling it was an official alias at one point, but even when TFF 
came along I still wanted it.

>> What I have a hard time understanding is soemthing like "ls".  Since I
>> don't use Unix I don't know whether "list" might also work.  Don't get
>> out much, ya know ..
> 
>    I don't mind "ls" so much as I mind figuring out, for each and every
>    command, what "-l" does.  And when is "-" required (most options on
>    most commands) vs. when it is optional (tar is my prime example) vs.
>    when must if not be used (BSD dump, for example).

Some time ago I came across an article describing why you should use
"ps ax" instead of "ps -ax".  In spite of that you still see examples 
recommending "ps -ax" all over the internet.

-- 
Paul Sture