From: porkchop@invalid.foo

On Thu, 25 Dec 2025 03:17:41 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:

> Nothing specific to either cmd.exe or PowerShell, but the Windows
> command line is fundamentally broken. This is because it derives from
> the CP/M command line model, which in turn was inherited from old-time
> DEC operating systems.
>
> On these DEC systems, the command line was a simple string buffer. So
> there is this assumption that program invocation is always going to be
> mediated by some kind of “shell” program, and the concept of one
> program directly invoking another is either nonexistent, or only
> grudgingly tolerated.
>
> Contrast this with the Unix approach, where the command line is an
> array of separate string “words”. There is no “shell” that occupies a
> privileged place in the system; any program can directly invoke any
> other, without having to worry about properly escaping any special
> characters that might be (mis)interpreted by some “shell”.

Bingo - you nailed it in my mind. To be sure, when in Windows you
have to play by their rules as Michael S. more or less pointed out.

Given a choice, I'm seeking stiller waters with the odd exception
here & there. Its all good =)

--
:wq
Mike Sanders

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
 * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)