From: Matt Armstrong <matt@...>
Date: 2002-04-09T01:32:45+09:00
Subject: Re: Addition to file.c (File.extension)

Michael Campbell <michael_s_campbell@yahoo.com> writes:

> --- 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>

Class File also has a methods called extend_object and extend (from
the Module and Object classes).  That's why "extension" may be
confusing.


-- 
matt