From: Michael Campbell <michael_s_campbell@...>
Date: 2002-04-09T00:34:06+09:00
Subject: Re: Addition to file.c (File.extension)


--- Yukihiro Matsumoto <matz@ruby-lang.org> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> In message "Re: Addition to file.c (File.extension)"
>     on 02/04/08, Michael Campbell <michael_s_campbell@yahoo.com>
> writes:
> 
> |With all due respect to Matz' wishes, I took in informal poll of
> my
> |peers at work and 100% of them said "extension" when asked: "In
> the
> |file name ``foo.bar'', or ``a.out'', what do you call the ``.bar''
> |and ``.out'' part of the filename?"  They had no idea WHY I was
> |asking, but without hesitation, "extension" or "file extension"
> was
> |the answer.  This was about 6 people.
> 
> I know.
> 
> But "extension" was often used with other meanings, e.g. extension
> library.  That's why I prefer "extname" in association with
> "basename"
> and "dirname" (both came from UNIX command names).

Yes, I see your point with the consistency with .  I agree that
"extension" with no context is somewhat ambiguous, but along with
"File.", the meaning is (IMO) perfectly clear.

On the other hand, (on Linux, anyway), the man pages for both dirname
and basename list this piece of the file as the "suffix".  <shrug>



=====
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