[Grml] RC: disable zshrc's share_history feature by default?

Darshaka Pathirana dpat at syn-net.org
Sun Mar 31 16:43:12 CEST 2013


On 03/28/2013 08:31 PM, Frank Terbeck wrote:
> Darshaka Pathirana wrote:
> [...]
>> That said, I also love that share_history feature!
>> I am not sure how you guys work but I usually remember my last command
>> (regardless which terminal I currently use). It often happens that I
>> get interrupted, switch away from (or even close) the terminal and
>> when trying to return find myself in a different terminal where I have
>> no access to my last command....
> 
> I usually do different things in different shells. Hence that feature is
> absolutely the worst for *me*. But this is not about personal preference.

Ack.

> [...]
>> Thinking loud here:
>> * what about putting a note at the end of the boot process which
>> informs the user about that fact (if you really think that feature is
>> that dangerous)?
> 
> This is not going to help.

Maybe not. But it would remind /me/ (and maybe others) to change to the
prefered setting (whatever the default setting is going to be..)

>> * what about adding an option to grml-quickconfig to quickly disable
>> this feature? Hmm, but when thinking about it: the shells on the other
>> consoles are alreay up and running and when invoking grml-quickconfig
>> this might be too late. Is there some kind of SIGHUP to tell (all
>> running) zsh to reload its config?
>>
>> * do NOT make different settings for grml live-cd and the
>> grml-config: people who are able to apply grml-config are surely able
>> to adapt their needs in .zsh.local
> 
> I would rather change the default on the live-medium than use a
> grml-quickconfig setting. Not because it's better but because the
> quickconfig approach is not easily possible.

Same as above. Whatever the setting is going to be, it would be
definitly nice if *grml* would provide a quick way to change the
default. Maybe something like: grml-zsh-share-history enable|disable
(Again, just thinking loud here..)

>> And if anybody cares: my vote goes to keep share_history!
> 
> Again, this isn't a vote.

Ok. See below.

> If you could make a convincing argument, that share_history indeed does
> not violate the principle of least surprise, then that could make a
> difference.  But I doubt you can. Because zsh is pretty much the only
> shell that implements this. And even with zsh, it's *not* the default
> setting.

As I tried to say before. I think the "principle of least surprise"
heavily depends on what the user expects (even if all the "other"
shells do not have this default setting). We are talking about grml
users here (at least thats what I thought) and maybe they expect
something *grml* provides (since ages - since when actually?). But
obvioulsy you are not that kind of (grml) user. So there might be no
definite truth here.

As I did not see this discussion about convincing anyone what the
"best" setting is or should be and as you noted that this is not a
vote I do not think I can help anymore in finding the answer what the
default setting should be... It then all leads to the grml-zsh-config
maintainer and what /he/ (or she) thinks whats the least "harmful" for
the grml user...

I surely will be able to live with whatever decision will be made.

All the best!

Regards,
 - Darsha


More information about the Grml mailing list