Re: PATCH: zsh-4.2.1: unset does not follow spec

["Matthias B." <msbREMOVE-THIS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 08:28:03 -0700 (PDT) Bart Schaefer
<schaefer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> It appears to me that FreeBSD and Zsh are interpreting "could not be 
> unset" to include variables that were not set in the first place. 

Arguing over the letter of a specification is not useful. You'll have to
ask yourself what the user expects and wants. Users are almost always
interested in results. They want to know if a function has produced the
result that they wanted it to produce. When your boss tells you to hammer
a nail into the wall at spot X, you go there and find that there is
already a nail, what do you do? Do you go crying to your boss that you
can't finish the task? Do you think he cares? Do you think he'll
appreciate it, if you mention this as a problem in your report that could
potentially halt the complete project?

BTW, the behaviour of unset should, I think, depend on the UNSET option.
If UNSET is off, then unset should report an error if the variable is
already unset.


MSB

-- 
Want to learn long division in ternary?
Contact me at ICQ 2101001122212.01/0.00002