Re: Don't take the extension too seriously

Justin Willoughby (justin@justinw.net)
Mon, 27 Sep 1999 14:20:35 -0400


On Mon, Sep 27, 1999 at 10:08:35AM -0700, Matt.Wilkie wrote:
> >It does seem odd that AbiWord would be so bent on the file
> >extension. In Linux files do not have extensions like in DOS/
> >Windows. Sure you can have a .wpdoc or perhaps .fig or
> >.whatever but that means nothing to any other program on
> >linux. WP for Linux does not care what the file name is only
> >its content.
>
> Well, except for .tar or .gz or .bz2 or... :) Personally I like
> extensions for helping me organize my files and being able to
> tell at a glance what type they are. I'm not adverse to being
> able -not- to use them however. BTW, WP in any flavour
> doesn't give a fig about extensions and never has.

There are not really extensions, there (dot) eg . and some text. (Also
called suffixes perhaps the same thing to most people other then me <g>)
DOS has extensions Un*x and Linux have a greater flexibility in file
names.

.tar .gz .bz2 help to identify a file but the file does not have to or
should not have to. What if I write a .tar file to a floppy using dd, I
can't specify a name but the data is still intact. If I really want to
know what a file is I use the command file.

e.g.

jbw1:[root]:~# file myfile
myfile: gzip compressed data, deflated, original filename, last modified:
Mon Jul 19 23:08:02 1999, os: Unix

Yes gzip/gunzip prefer a .z or .gz suffix (not extension <g>) but not
required. There are valid reasons to have suffixes for quick
identification of what a file contains. From a file name you might not
know if it is a ELF or A.OUT file just by its name alone.

It is good practice to use good file names (and that may include .this or
.that or this.is.my.backup.gz, suffixes or what ever) I just think AbiWord
should not assume just because a file name ends with .doc that it is a
Micro$oft Word document.

- Justin

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The dark ages were caused by the Y1K problem.
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Justin Willoughby justin@justinw.net Jesus is Lord!
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