Re: A simple hate today.

[prev] [thread] [next] [lurker] [Date index for 2006/05/25]

From: Jarkko Hietaniemi
Subject: Re: A simple hate today.
Date: 19:51 on 25 May 2006
Peter da Silva wrote:
>> But the larger point is that an exception occurs (-h is not recognized
>> as an option) which triggers an error message.  Given the history of
>> -h, why should that error not be help itself, rather than metahelp?
> 
> A larger point is that the error message should be helpful no matter WHAT
> the option is. What REALLY takes the cake is when "--help" isn't helpful.
> 
> The other day I got something like this...
> 
>   % foo --help
>   You idiot, you need to type "foo --help commands" or "foo --help syntax".
> 
> Not literally, but that's the subtext.

HA!  Do not try to protect the guilty.  cvs, I hate thee.

$ cvs -h
cvs: invalid option -- h
Usage: cvs [cvs-options] command [command-options-and-arguments]
  where cvs-options are -q, -n, etc.
    (specify --help-options for a list of options)
  where command is add, admin, etc.
    (specify --help-commands for a list of commands
     or --help-synonyms for a list of command synonyms)
  where command-options-and-arguments depend on the specific command
    (specify -H followed by a command name for command-specific help)
  Specify --help to receive this message

The Concurrent Versions System (CVS) is a tool for version control.
For CVS updates and additional information, see
    the CVS home page at http://www.cvshome.org/ or
    Pascal Molli's CVS site at http://www.loria.fr/~molli/cvs-index.html

> HATE
> 
> 

There's stuff above here

Generated at 09:00 on 29 May 2006 by mariachi 0.52