os.symlink()

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  • Nikolaus Rath
    #1

    os.symlink()

    Hello,
    >From `pydoc os`:
    symlink(...)
    symlink(src, dst)

    Create a symbolic link pointing to src named dst.


    Is there any reason why this is so deliberately confusing? Why is the
    target of the symlink, the think where it points *to*, called the
    `src`? It seems to me that the names of the parameters should be
    reversed.



    Puzzled,

    -Nikolaus

    --
    »It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
    By definition, there are already enough people to do that.«
    -J.H. Hardy

    PGP fingerprint: 5B93 61F8 4EA2 E279 ABF6 02CF A9AD B7F8 AE4E 425C

    Tags: os.symlink
    • Diez B. Roggisch
      #2
      Re: os.symlink()

      Nikolaus Rath wrote:
      Hello,
      >
      >>From `pydoc os`:
      >
      symlink(...)
      symlink(src, dst)
      >
      Create a symbolic link pointing to src named dst.
      >
      >
      Is there any reason why this is so deliberately confusing? Why is the
      target of the symlink, the think where it points *to*, called the
      `src`? It seems to me that the names of the parameters should be
      reversed.
      I used the command the other day, and didn't feel the slightest confusion.

      To me, the process of creating a symlink is like a "virtual copy". Which the
      above parameter names reflect perfectly.


      Diez

        Comment

        • Nikolaus Rath
          #3
          Re: os.symlink()

          "Diez B. Roggisch" <deets@nospam.w eb.dewrites:
          Nikolaus Rath wrote:
          >
          >Hello,
          >>
          >>>From `pydoc os`:
          >>
          > symlink(...)
          > symlink(src, dst)
          >>
          > Create a symbolic link pointing to src named dst.
          >>
          >>
          >Is there any reason why this is so deliberately confusing? Why is the
          >target of the symlink, the think where it points *to*, called the
          >`src`? It seems to me that the names of the parameters should be
          >reversed.
          >
          I used the command the other day, and didn't feel the slightest confusion.
          >
          To me, the process of creating a symlink is like a "virtual copy".
          Which the above parameter names reflect perfectly.
          Is this interpretation really widespread? I couldn't find any other
          sources using it. On the other hand:
          >From ln(2):
          ,----
          | SYNOPSIS
          | ln [OPTION]... [-T] TARGET LINK_NAME (1st form)
          |
          | DESCRIPTION
          | In the 1st form, create a link to TARGET with the name LINK_NAME.
          `----
          >From Wikipedia:
          ,----
          | A symbolic link merely contains a text string that is interpreted and
          | followed by the operating system as a path to another file or
          | directory. It is a file on its own and can exist independently of its
          | target. If a symbolic link is deleted, its target remains unaffected.
          | If the target is moved, renamed or deleted, any symbolic link that
          | used to point to it continues to exist but now points to a
          | non-existing file.
          `----


          Best,


          -Nikolaus

          --
          »It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority.
          By definition, there are already enough people to do that.«
          -J.H. Hardy

          PGP fingerprint: 5B93 61F8 4EA2 E279 ABF6 02CF A9AD B7F8 AE4E 425C

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