Re: ifconfig v2

[Darren Reed <darrenr%fastmail.net@localhost>]

On 14/06/2013 5:00 AM, Christoph Badura wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 11, 2013 at 09:50:24PM -0500, David Young wrote:
>> I was just reminded what improvements can be made to ifconfig output
>> when I read this ifconfig output that appeared on current-users today:
> I gather there are two crucial points to your proposal:
>
> - you want to display interface configuration information in a more
>   format more friendly to humans.
> - you don't want to remember to have to use a special command line flag.
>
> Others have pointed out that changing ifconfig's default output format
> is problematic.
>
> But there is an easy alternative.  Produce the new format under a
> different name.  You could call it "ifinfo".  It's even shorter to type.

This is the only sensible approach.

If someone wants to "fix" the administrative front end for changing things then 
wrap that up in a new command too :) or fold a new administrative interface and 
new query interface into a new command.

Trying to make safe changes to ifconfig's output format/content is fraught. 
Lets just not do it.

Darren