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[slanning at buphy.bu.edu (Scott Lanning)]

On Wed, 21 Apr, Jerry Callen rhetorically asked:

>How do I get the version number of perl? Of emacs? Of the Linux kernel?

I think in general when you have a question, you look at the man pages.
That is a consistent approach, and, for example, that's usually how you
determine how to determine the version number. In addition, things like
this usually have only some small set of possibilities. For instance, I
might try 'perl -v', 'perl -V', 'perl --version', 'perl -version'. (But
then, try 'od -v', and it'll just sit there waiting for input. I know
what you're saying.)

>Sure, there are simple ways to get this information, but they differ from
>tool to tool, and you have to know them. Windoze has one consistent 
>mechanism (at least for this...).

Windows is also developed by one entity, and you pay for it; they have
incentive to provide a uniform interface. Linux is developed by whoever
feels like developing something. Then, you might say, why don't the
distributors develop a more uniform interface, because they make money
from it. I think RPM goes somewhat toward that, and also GNU things tend
to be uniform, but then you have these several different development
efforts trying to be uniform in different ways. I suppose they'll each
fill a certain niche, or they'll just fizzle into oblivion. What's that
called--a complex adaptive system? Just like we're stuck with QWERTY
and VHS, we're stuck with differing interfaces.

>I'm not a Unix hater. I wouldn't be hanging out with a bunch of other
>[studmuffins] on the BLU list if I were! :-) My sole point is that this
>is one of the things that Unix gets dinged for by people with an
>anti-Unix agenda: every tool works differently.

I do see what you're saying, but I don't see how to resolve the problem
without introducing Windowsesque side-effects. Personally, I like that
every tool works differently (to a certain extent), as it gives them
different character. Eck, who wants boring uniformity anyway? I dunno;
I suppose it depends on your goals. If you want to maximize productivity,
maybe uniformity is essential. 

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