On Friday, December 8, 2017 at 6:40:17 AM UTC+5:30, Python wrote: > On Thu, Dec 07, 2017 at 01:29:11PM +1100, Steve D'Aprano wrote: > > On Thu, 7 Dec 2017 08:22 am, Python wrote: > > >> > Linux doesn’t do “OS file associations”. > > >> > > >> Then how does my Linux box know that when I double-click on a text file, > > >> it > > >> launches kwrite rather than (say) the Gimp or LibreOffice? > > > > > > The answer to that is (sadly) complicated. > > > > Actually, no, the answer to my question is very simple: Lawrence is mistaken > > about Linux not doing file associations. It does -- it is merely handled by > > the desktop environment (if there is one). > > Pedantically speaking, this is only *probably true*, not certainly > true (e.g. running Linux on a text console with something like > midnight commander, some unrelated file manager while running a > particular desktop environment, etc.). > > But more importantly, practically speaking, it still doesn't really > provide much more help to the OP than Lawrence's answer. He may well > know already that the desktop environment is what does the job (and > probably does even, in broad terms, if he's familiar with computers in > general), but have no idea how to configure it. A reasonably helpful > answer would be one that mentioned a few of the likely possibilities > (Gnome, KDE, Unity, /etc/mime.types, "other"), and gave hints for how > to find out the answer for each. A thoroughly helpful answer would > be, well, outside the scope of this list/group. > > Pedantry has its place, FWIW. In the computer field, as with other > science and engineering disciplines, often precision is much more > essential than in other fields. I personally find such precision is > especially warranted if you take it upon yourself to criticize what > someone else has said. Though, providing such precision via natural > language often turns out to be more challenging than one would hope...
<anecdote> I was sending some files to some students. Since it was more than one, the natural choice was a tarball. [I believe that since it was a very tiny total space I did not compress the tarball… but I dont remember this part exactly] The point is that instead of sending a stuff.tgz or stuff.tar file I sent a file called just stuff; ie I must have done: $ tar xvf stuff directory rather than the more normal $ tar xvf stuff.tar directory I got a return mail soon enough: “Your file is corrupt; it wont open” (in file-roller or whatever tar-GUI the kids nowadays use) I could have given them the answer: There are no associations in Linux. Just $ mv stuff stuff.tar and it will work As it happens I am lazy; easier to believe that my file was "wrongly" named; did the mv myself, and resent the now "correct" tarball; problem solved. </anecdote> Whether there was nothing wrong in what I did, the "wrong-right" was de facto, or de jure… I will leave to more wise persons than myself -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
