raw command line

[utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!unix-wizards]

>From gwyn at UTEXAS-11 Sun Nov 15 21:57:11 1981
The user HAS to know and care about the rules applied to expand his raw
command line (whether done by a command language interpreter or by the
program being invoked); otherwise he cannot maintain adequate control
over the expansion.  The advantage of using the shell mechanisms,
including escapes, is that a UNIFORM set of rules always applies,
making system use easier and less error-prone.

Unless no interpretation is done at all, any GENERAL mechanism will of
necessity include an escape of some kind.

The idea of each program applying its own rules to interpret the shell
command line would turn UNIX into something quite different.  Other
systems have traditionally done this with predictably dismal results;
why should we want to follow them?

It is probably not a good idea to force naive users to communicate
their desires to the system through the UNIX shell (or Cshell) anyway.
A better approach is to have them run an application-specific interface
(menu- or form-oriented) that is better engineered for their needs.
Geotronics has taken this approach several times in the past, and it
has worked quite well.
-------