Re: fold(1) needs and option to truncate

[Paul Jarc]

Dan Jacobson <address@hidden> wrote:
> Fold does simple stuff that can be done by one liners of other
> programs.

I don't think it can be duplicated as a one-liner using only the
programs that predate it, which justifies the original development
effort.  The maintenance effort is justified by the fact that it would
probably cost more to convert all the current existing uses of fold
than it does to maintain fold.

> I found another highly related fold-like thing for it to do, and
> also simpler than any other one liner.

Simplicity is trivial to achieve when you're talking about
hypothetical features.

> Therefore you must admit that not adding my feature is not because
> it is especially bad, but say because these days you don't want to
> add any more features.

I didn't say this feature was especially bad.  I do say that a set of
small tools that can be connected in lots of flexible ways are more
maintainable than tools that grow to encompass all the features
provided by each other.  If there's already a simple way to do
something, creating another way that's just a little bit simpler costs
more in development and maintenance effort than just using the old
way.

> When lines are too long and are messing up my screen or printer, I
> think of fold.

Apparently, you also think of cut.  Good for you.


paul