[ntp:hackers] -d/--debug-level -> -d/--inc-debug-level?

Brian Utterback brian.utterback at sun.com
Tue Jan 20 16:21:08 UTC 2009



Bruce Korb wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 9:05 AM, TSG <tglassey at earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> Sun's policy about optional arguments.  Ask the question, "How does it
> help the command line user to require an argument where it is optional
> on other platforms?"  The answer, of course, is that it does not improve
> the "user experience" or "consistency" but instead makes things behave
> differently on a Sun platform.  But, if consistency with Sun specified
> policy is more important, then do that.

As Danny pointed out, ntpd does not currently have this problem with 
the debug options. And the reason Sun adopted the policy in the first 
place is of course to avoid ambiguity for commands that take non flag 
parameters. Although ntpd is not in this class, it might change some 
day. It is far better to be consistent in these kinds of policies.

And furthermore, we do not expect there to be any command line users 
of ntpd anyway. Control of debug output will be done via svccfg, not 
by adding -d flags.
-- 
blu

"Murderous organizations have increased in size and scope; they are
more daring, they are served by the most terrible weapons offered by
modern science, and the world is nowadays threatened by new forces
which, if recklessly unchained, may some day wreak universal
destruction."  - Arthur Griffith, 1898
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian Utterback - Solaris RPE, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Ph:877-259-7345, Em:brian.utterback-at-ess-you-enn-dot-kom


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