whh@PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt) (10/14/89)
The inclusion of READ.ME files--while useful--is a holdover from the
days of most machines having only 1 or 2 diskette drives. While the
file still serves a useful purpose for general recipients, the common
name (and it's common variants) create a name collision problem on
a lot of machines thses days.
I would like to propose that the READ.ME file, as it is now used
be called "name.RME" and that if a file is desired called "READ.ME",
that it contain only directions to read the ".RME" file. In this way
each software package can have initial data in an easily found and
consistent place, and all such files can be retained with minimal risk
of name collisions.
Further, if he is amenable, I think it would be good if our illustriuous
moderator could be persuaded to implement this as a general policy on
comp.binaries.ibm.pc. He could write a suitable (and short) READ.ME
file pointing novice users to the .RME file.
--Hal
=========================================================================
Hal Heydt | In the old days, we had wooden
Analyst, Pacific*Bell | ships sailed by iron men. Now
415-823-5447 | we have steel ships and block-
whh@pbhya.PacBell.COM | heads running them. --Capt. D. Seymourkhearn@uts.amdahl.com (Bug Hunter) (10/14/89)
In article <30359@pbhya.PacBell.COM> whh@PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt) writes: >The inclusion of READ.ME files--while useful--is a holdover from the >days of most machines having only 1 or 2 diskette drives. While the >file still serves a useful purpose for general recipients, the common >name (and it's common variants) create a name collision problem on >a lot of machines thses days. Not if you create subdirectories for different pacakages. I've seen systems where this would be a problem, the kind that it takes 5 minutes to do a DIR on the root directory, but if you keep a decent directory structure (one package per directory) you shouldn't have this problem. >I would like to propose that the READ.ME file, as it is now used >be called "name.RME" and that if a file is desired called "READ.ME", >that it contain only directions to read the ".RME" file. In this way >each software package can have initial data in an easily found and >consistent place, and all such files can be retained with minimal risk >of name collisions. > >Further, if he is amenable, I think it would be good if our illustriuous >moderator could be persuaded to implement this as a general policy on >comp.binaries.ibm.pc. He could write a suitable (and short) READ.ME >file pointing novice users to the .RME file. IMHO, I'd rather not have two readme files, one with the info, and one just being a pointer to the info. Things get cluttered too fast as is. Name.RME, doesn't tell a novice that its a file that should be read, so I'd rather just keep READ.ME, and keep everything in separate directories. Keith Hearn -- Keith Hearn \ Lots of impossible things happen khearn@amdahl.com \ When you travel through time. Amdahl Corporation \ Dr. Who (The War Games) (408) 737-5691 \
root@cca.ucsf.edu (Systems Staff) (10/14/89)
In article <d4WZ02D.5f1m01@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>, khearn@uts.amdahl.com (Bug Hunter) writes: > In article <30359@pbhya.PacBell.COM> whh@PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt) writes: > > >I would like to propose that the READ.ME file, as it is now used > >be called "name.RME" and that if a file is desired called "READ.ME", > >that it contain only directions to read the ".RME" file. > > IMHO, I'd rather not have two readme files, one with the info, and > one just being a pointer to the info. Things get cluttered too fast > as is. Name.RME, doesn't tell a novice that its a file that should be > read, so I'd rather just keep READ.ME, and keep everything in separate > directories. > The name.RME proposal has a virtue in that you can copy (or link) these into a common directory where they are conveniently accessible for browsing, scanning (with a program), etc. -- much handier for such purposes than having to search through directory trees and the file name is significant. The idea behind READ.ME etc. has been lost when we go to a primitive system that does not preserve case distinctions. On Unix etc. systems where the bulk of the files have lower case names READ.ME, Read_me, Notice, Copying etc. files get listed right up front. Thos Sumner Internet: thos@cca.ucsf.edu (The I.G.) UUCP: ...ucbvax!ucsfcgl!cca.ucsf!thos BITNET: thos@ucsfcca U.S. Mail: Thos Sumner, Computer Center, Rm U-76, UCSF San Francisco, CA 94143-0704 USA I hear nothing in life is certain but death and taxes -- and they're working on death. #include <disclaimer.std>
usenet@cps3xx.UUCP (Usenet file owner) (10/15/89)
In article <30359@pbhya.PacBell.COM> whh@PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt) writes: >the common >name (and it's common variants) create a name collision problem on >a lot of machines thses days. >I would like to propose that the READ.ME file, as it is now used >be called "name.RME" and that if a file is desired called "READ.ME", >that it contain only directions to read the ".RME" file. I disent. If you use subdirectories properly, the collision problem is largely non-existant. Let's keep read.me files, cuz everybody is familiar with them, and they work well. In the rare case that original ideas Kenneth J. Hendrickson N8DGN are found here, I am responsible. Owen W328, E. Lansing, MI 48825 Internet: hendrick@frith.egr.msu.edu UUCP: ...!uunet!frith!hendrick
jrwsnsr@nmtsun.nmt.edu (Jonathan R. Watts) (10/16/89)
In article <d4WZ02D.5f1m01@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>, khearn@uts.amdahl.com (Bug Hunter) writes: > In article <30359@pbhya.PacBell.COM> whh@PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt) writes: > >The inclusion of READ.ME files--while useful--is a holdover from the > >days of most machines having only 1 or 2 diskette drives. While the > >file still serves a useful purpose for general recipients, the common > >name (and it's common variants) create a name collision problem on > >a lot of machines thses days. > > Not if you create subdirectories for different pacakages. I do keep separate subdirectories myself, but I still have a problem with READ.ME files, because I like to keep all my documentation in one directory! I usually rename them <first four letters>READ.ME. - Jonathan Watts jrwsnsr@nmtsun.nmt.edu