this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2024
116 points (87.2% liked)

Linuxsucks

183 readers
73 users here now

Shit on Desktop Linux and its evangelists here

No evangelizing for Linux

founded 1 month ago
MODERATORS
 

Bonus question: With or without - ?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (6 children)

"The world should conform to my expectations, not long-standing conventions!"

But if you engage your thinking meat, you might just discover the magic of alias untar='tar xvf'.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

"long-standing conventions" is how you end up with Internet Explorer still pre-installed on Windows Server 2025.
And when was the last time you used the tar "tape archiver" to archive things on tape?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Magnetic tapes are still being used as long-term storage, as backups for example. They are inexpensive, compact, have zero moving parts, and are more durable than optical media. All you have to do is keep them in a location that is around room temperature, relatively dry, and away from magnets.

But that's not really what tar does. It simply collects the input files and writes them to a single contiguous data stream -- a file not unlike an actual tape. It's worked like that for, I shit you not, 45 years, and it is very much a single project holding up modern technology situation. I fear to imagine what would happen if it were to change.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What the fuck zero moving parts? Are you high?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

That would be the sticky tape. Also good for long term storage.

load more comments (2 replies)