Re: version information output

From: Laurent Bercot <ska-skaware_at_skarnet.org>
Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2024 06:04:57 +0000

>there is no version information option (like say "-V") for
>the s6 utils. such a command line option should make the
>tool output its version number and terminate.
>
>it would be nice if such an option could be added to the tools.

  It would also add boilerplate to every single binary, which would make
them bigger, as well as longer and more annoying to write.

  Most of the time, the version information is available elsewhere;
typically, in your package manager. Or in the filesystem if you're using
slashpackage. (That's one of the issues with FHS, it requires an
additional system such as a package manager to retain the
meta-information
it loses by having binaries in fixed directories.)

  Binaries are not the place to store meta-information. There is nothing
you can programmatically do with version information; if you require a
specific minimal version of a tool, then by policy you should have it on
your system, and you should assume that your requirements are met (and
it's a bug if they are not).

  "true --help" and "true --version" are often mentioned for laughs;
there
is a reason for that.

--
  Laurent
Received on Sat Jan 13 2024 - 07:04:57 CET

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