[Taxacom] For UNIX and Linux geeks

[Bob Mesibov]

Hi, Ross.

Good to hear. We should probably talk off-list, as this topic isn't strictly taxonomic (!), but to respond to your PSes:

Like you I'm an unaBASHed shell-lover, but I find that modern AWK does everything I could possibly want with CSVs, so I haven't looked at command extenders.

I see github as the place where developers cooperate to improve *a* piece of software. My scripts are custom-built for my data tables and for the outputs I want, so although they're improvable they're not really designed for *a* piece of software, like some shiny new biodiversity database application. I'd much rather teach someone how to 'roll their own' text+tools data management than write a manual explaining all the GUI menu options for a glamorous new 'BIODATA 5.0 - with added enzymes!' (I made that up)

In fact, what I'd love to see is more code taught in schools and universities. If students only realised how much they can do with the shell and simple tools like AWK...

Cheers,
Bob
-- 
Dr Robert Mesibov
Honorary Research Associate
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, and
School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania
Home contact:
PO Box 101, Penguin, Tasmania, Australia 7316
(03) 64371195; 61 3 64371195