On Thu, Nov 18, 2004 at 10:36:00AM -0000, Colin Piggot wrote: > > > At least DIR wasn't changed to CAT, I can remember Bob's argument being > > > "You > > > don't DIR a directory, you CAT a directory" > > Hadn't heard about that one - was there a discussion about it or > something? > I think it was either a response to a letter in Format, or it may have been > around 1996 when Bob was on the mailing list... I can't quite remember.
Extracted from Simon Cooke on 24 Oct 1994: ====================================================================== I had a long chat to Bob at the show, and here's what the hard drive is going to be like: [big snip] Oh, and he wants to change how the dos works -- apparently putting the device in the filename is a no-no, so he's putting down these standards: CAT instead of DIR must be used (although you can do it the other way, in programs it will be changed back) <<"Because you CAT a directory, you don't DIR a directory">> LOAD d1"filename" instead of LOAD "D1:filename" (although, again, you should be able to use the other, but it's not "preferred") <<"the device shouldn't be part of the filename as it causes all sorts of problems">> LOAD p<number> instead of LOAD <number> He wants it all to be very G+DOS compatible. I say hit him over the head with a cleaver -- the dimwit wants to keep it at Spectrum levels. ====================================================================== Extracted from [EMAIL PROTECTED] on 1 Dec 1996: ====================================================================== SAMDOS V3.0 NOTES FOR CHANGES FROM EXISTING SAMDOS 2 This document lays out the changes required to SAMDOS version 2 to create SAMDOS version 3. No priority should be implied by the order given. [big snip] 1.4 CAT to replace DIR. The token will print as CAT, therefore any program saved under SAMDOS 2 will have all its DIRs come up as CATs. If DIR is typed at the keyboard then CAT will appear in the listing. CAT [device number] gives full listing of the directory. CAT [device number]! gives a short listing. CAT #n; [device number][!] prints the catalogue to the specified stream. CAT [device number][!];"FILENAME" can be used for a selective CAT using * or ? if required. ====================================================================== When challenged on this point, he replied "Because you CATalogue the directory, you do not produce a DIRectory of the directory." Almost the whole list disagreed with him, of course. imc
