Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Re: Trying out the new escaping version...

[David A. Wheeler]

> On Fri, 2004-03-19 at 12:52, David A. Wheeler wrote:
> > Under Windows, the prefix \\ has special meanings.
> > For example, \\<server>\<share> is an important way
> > to access a file on computer "server" in its "share" directory.
> > Details at:
> > http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/fileio/base/naming_a_file.asp
> > 
> > This will cause serious problems if "\" is used for another purpose.
> > It would be bizarre if a user had to enter
> > tla add \\\\server\share\stuff
> 
> Not bizarre, expected. Thats precisely what they have to enter now when
> using any shell that supports escaping.

But the default shell for Windows does NOT support escaping using "\".
Thus, the "\" causes lots of weird problems.  This works in Windows:
 dir \\server\drive


> It's bizarre to claim you provide 'shell' scripting when you don't even
> provide a unicode, long file path capable shell in your own OS.

Please don't ask me to defend their design decisions, or
what they've chosen not to improve :-).  I didn't build it :-).


--- David A. Wheeler <address@hidden>