Re: less: extra entries for lesspipe

[Carl Mummert <mummert@tinuviel.cs.wcu.edu>]

David Welton wrote:
> One of the things I like about Linux, and Unix in general, is that it
> doesn't try to be smart where you don't expect it to.

But when you say, 'less binfile', what do you expect it to do?  

I had thought that the idea of lesspipe is to have less give you more
useful information when you use it on different types of files-- gzip for
gz files, tar -t for tar files, groff for manpages, etc...  If I _wanted_
to look at the raw data of a gzipped file, I could do it.  But how often
do I want to do that?  

Having less display a plethora of information about an executable ( file,
size, ldd, strings, etc) seems to me to be more useful for everyday use
than having less show me the raw data.

If, as you say, the more common case is that you want to look at the
raw data of an executable, then I withdraw my claim.  However, I think
that the majority of users would find well-readable information more
useful.  

Carl

-- 
--mummert@cs.wcu.edu-----------
                                      
The sun's not eternal
   That's why there's the blues...
     -- Ginsburg


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