[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: [desktop] Improving "user-friendly" in some console applications



On Sun, Mar 16, 2003 at 06:24:11PM -0500, Don Armstrong wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Mar 2003, Jean-Michel Kelbert wrote:
> > For exemple, on Mandrake less permit him to show html, tar.gz... not
> > on Debian.
> 
> This is done by setting the LESSOPEN and/or LESSCLOSE env. variables.
> 
> Read /usr/share/doc/less/LESSOPEN for information on how to set this up.
> 
> As far as making it the default, Thomas has (apparently) decided not
> to, and I agree. I routinely use less to look at raw gzip files and
> other odd files, and I suppose others do also.

There are also other reasons to not force it upon users, especially not
upon those which lack the experience to check the docs:

caphuso@f311 ~ $ less -E textfile.r10
No rar or unrar available
caphuso@f311 ~ $ cat textfile.r10
this is a silly little text file
caphuso@f311 ~ $

or, if rar is installed:

caphuso@f311 ~ $ less -E textfile.r10

UNRAR 3.10 freeware      Copyright (c) 1993-2002 Eugene Roshal

textfile.r10 is not RAR archive


How good are the chances that people who don't know about
$LESS{OPEN,CLOSE} can handle this?


Stephen Rüger

-- 
Jede Nation spottet über die andere, und alle haben recht.
-- Schopenhauer

Attachment: pgpIVZt_aMfNR.pgp
Description: PGP signature


Reply to: