*BSD News Article 14820


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Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!menudo.uh.edu!uuneo!sugar!peter
From: peter@NeoSoft.com (Peter da Silva)
Subject: Re: PLEA across the board.
Organization: NeoSoft Communications Services -- (713) 684-5900
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 01:51:27 GMT
Message-ID: <C5t95t.Ft3@sugar.neosoft.com>
Keywords: version information 
References: <jmonroyC5rz7x.LA1@netcom.com>
Lines: 19

In article <jmonroyC5rz7x.LA1@netcom.com> jmonroy@netcom.com (Jesus Monroy Jr)
passes on a plea:
> 	After several frustraiong experiences with linux software, I'd 
> like to propose that all linux authors and porters try to put a version
> number in their binaries that can be called with -v, -V, -h or -?.

Put a string in that can be grepped for with "what". Right now, the output
from "what" is a little verbose (it gives you the version number of every
module in the file), but a "what -q" that just gives strings flagged with
a "program version number" would be a trivial enhancement, then you could
do "what /bin/*" and see what version of *everything* you're using.

Much better than adding an option (that might conflict with existing
options) to every program.
-- 
Peter da Silva.  <peter@sugar.neosoft.com>.
 `-_-'   Oletko halannut suttasi tänään?
  'U`    
Tarjoilija, tämä ateria elää vielä.