python was: transputers again was: The dissolution of Commodore 2913

fOn Wed, 08 Mar 2006 09:28:28 GMT in alt.folklore.computers, Gene Cash

Three different matchers, if you include the fixed strings variety. Still think of and use them as three programs: not sure whose great idea it was to mandate they be available through a single (grep) interface, whether various implementations merged the source, or just exec the other program(s).

I stick to the POSIX standard extended regexps, as basic regexps are now considered obsolete, but most matching work tends to be against fixed strings.

You rarely find out about these kinds of policies before you start a gig.

That rarely seems to be the view of workstation support groups in most businesses nowadays: support of developers is at the bottom of their list, project managers have to plan well ahead if they need to deploy software different from that currently supported, and have to spend a lot of time pulling strings and following up to make sure that gets done; they don't have the time to do so for developer preferences, and don't want developers wasting their time doing so.

Not need, prefer. Software shops do tend to cater for preferences and provide support much better than businesses where development is a sideline. It's nice to work in shops where you can use the same (preferred) tools on your own machine and any hosts you use.

IMHO orgs could be more productive if they had a server where developers loaded (multiple versions of) distributions and installed their software in one place; where storage, distribution, and licensing can be easily controlled and checked, rather than proliferating multiple versions of different tools across individual machines. Developer tools on MS Windows systems always seem to have some versions which are particularly fragile and sensitive to their environment (probably due as much to companies and products changing hands as to DLL hell).

-- Thanks. Take care, Brian Inglis Calgary, Alberta, Canada

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