Re: [PATCH] Correct docstring of 'symlink'

[Ludovic Courtès]

Stefan Monnier <address@hidden> skribis:

>> -        "Create a symbolic link named @var{oldpath} with the value\n"
>> -        "(i.e., pointing to) @var{newpath}.  The return value is\n"
>> +        "Create a symbolic link named @var{newpath} with the value\n"
>> +        "(i.e., pointing to) @var{oldpath}.  The return value is\n"
>
> This is weird terminology.
>
> First the "new vs old" is meaningless for a symlink since the target may
> not even exist.  In "man ln" the terminology used is "link-name vs
> target" which I think is a lot more clear (Elisp's `make-symbolic-link'
> uses "filename vs linkname" which is not as good).
>
> Second, the GNU coding standards says:
>
>    Please do not use the term "pathname" that is used in Unix
>    documentation; use "file name" (two words) instead.  We use the term
>    "path" only for search paths, which are lists of directory names.
>
> so none of the two args should be named "<something>path".

Agreed on both points.  Unfortunately Guile is an old piece of software
and there are issues like this.

I would gladly accept a patch that fixes documentation to always use
“file name.”

Thanks,
Ludo’.