There are basically two ways to look at the fact that we're still using many of the same command line tools today that originated on UNIX of around half a century ago:
1) Serious stagnation
2) Ken and Dennis and the rest of the gang in the Bell Labs MH1127 lab, etc. got it right
L
3) terrible, but better than anything else that’s been tried (as said of democracy?)
4) perfectly fitted to the UNIX file and process system, which were the mistake
I like them, am more 3 than 4. Still, I bet the rewards of simplifying/systematizing all the flags would be immense after an immense incompatibility hit.
Lauren Weinstein
clew