The tr command has always been a blessing and yet I've always found it bothersome. Not only do I always get confused with direction (is it "1st word TO, 2nd word FROM" or the reverse?), I just hate having to decide every single time. Worst, it wreaks havoc with my habits: after a long time translating in the same direction my fingers learn it and next time I want the opposite direction it takes several annoying tries to unlearn the habit.
So I came up with str ("super/simple/synchronous tr"), which avoids the direction decision by doing both at once, each one presented in an individual vertical frame. This is not only much faster in practice, it's more unconscious and habit-friendly. Remember, thought is irksome!
-----Original Message----- From: YubNub@googlegroups.com [mailto:YubNub@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
elzr Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 1:48 AM To: YubNub Subject: str: a better tr command
The tr command has always been a blessing and yet I've always found it bothersome. Not only do I always get confused with direction (is it "1st word TO, 2nd word FROM" or the reverse?), I just hate having to decide every single time. Worst, it wreaks havoc with my habits: after a long time translating in the same direction my fingers learn it and next time I want the opposite direction it takes several annoying tries to unlearn the habit.
So I came up with str ("super/simple/synchronous tr"), which avoids the direction decision by doing both at once, each one presented in an individual vertical frame. This is not only much faster in practice, it's more unconscious and habit-friendly. Remember, thought is irksome!
> Beautiful idea and execution, elzr! You must be a student of Raskin/Cooper.
> Jon
> -----Original Message----- > From: YubNub@googlegroups.com [mailto:YubNub@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> elzr > Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 1:48 AM > To: YubNub > Subject: str: a better tr command
> The tr command has always been a blessing and yet I've always found it > bothersome. Not only do I always get confused with direction (is it "1st > word TO, 2nd word FROM" or the reverse?), I just hate having to decide every > single time. Worst, it wreaks havoc with my habits: after a long time > translating in the same direction my fingers learn it and next time I want > the opposite direction it takes several annoying tries to unlearn the habit.
> So I came up with str ("super/simple/synchronous tr"), which avoids the > direction decision by doing both at once, each one presented in an > individual vertical frame. This is not only much faster in practice, it's > more unconscious and habit-friendly. Remember, thought is irksome!
-----Original Message----- From: YubNub@googlegroups.com [mailto:YubNub@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
elzr Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2007 1:50 AM To: YubNub Subject: Re: a better tr command
Heh, you got me there, I'm a Raskin fan. Cooper has been under my radar for a long while but I've never read him. Is he good?
On Oct 6, 7:04 pm, "Jonathan Aquino" <jonathan.aqu...@gmail.com> wrote: > Beautiful idea and execution, elzr! You must be a student of Raskin/Cooper.
> Jon
> -----Original Message----- > From: YubNub@googlegroups.com [mailto:YubNub@googlegroups.com] On > Behalf Of
> elzr > Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 1:48 AM > To: YubNub > Subject: str: a better tr command
> The tr command has always been a blessing and yet I've always found it > bothersome. Not only do I always get confused with direction (is it > "1st word TO, 2nd word FROM" or the reverse?), I just hate having to > decide every single time. Worst, it wreaks havoc with my habits: after > a long time translating in the same direction my fingers learn it and > next time I want the opposite direction it takes several annoying tries to unlearn the habit.
> So I came up with str ("super/simple/synchronous tr"), which avoids > the direction decision by doing both at once, each one presented in an > individual vertical frame. This is not only much faster in practice, > it's more unconscious and habit-friendly. Remember, thought is irksome!
Ah, Strunk & White--"vigor is a by-product of brevity." Great book.
I've found opinionated-ness, when clearly stated as so, to be actually a mark of good writing. The Economist, for instance, introduces its opinions with a classy "this newspaper believes".
Bad writers muddy the waters, good ones state clearly what is fact and what is their opinion. Every writer has opinions on what she's writing (otherwise, why write?). Being clear about them is just one more way to be objective.
So let's give About Face a try. :)
On Oct 7, 12:12 pm, "Jonathan Aquino" <jonathan.aqu...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I enjoyed his About Face. Some are turned off by his opinionated style; I > didn't mind it.
> Another opinionated book I am currently enjoying (about English grammar) : > The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White.
> Jon
> -----Original Message----- > From: YubNub@googlegroups.com [mailto:YubNub@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> elzr > Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2007 1:50 AM > To: YubNub > Subject: Re: a better tr command
> Heh, you got me there, I'm a Raskin fan. Cooper has been under my radar for > a long while but I've never read him. Is he good?
> On Oct 6, 7:04 pm, "Jonathan Aquino" <jonathan.aqu...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > Beautiful idea and execution, elzr! You must be a student of > Raskin/Cooper.
> > Jon
> > -----Original Message----- > > From: YubNub@googlegroups.com [mailto:YubNub@googlegroups.com] On > > Behalf Of
> > elzr > > Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2007 1:48 AM > > To: YubNub > > Subject: str: a better tr command
> > The tr command has always been a blessing and yet I've always found it > > bothersome. Not only do I always get confused with direction (is it > > "1st word TO, 2nd word FROM" or the reverse?), I just hate having to > > decide every single time. Worst, it wreaks havoc with my habits: after > > a long time translating in the same direction my fingers learn it and > > next time I want the opposite direction it takes several annoying tries to > unlearn the habit.
> > So I came up with str ("super/simple/synchronous tr"), which avoids > > the direction decision by doing both at once, each one presented in an > > individual vertical frame. This is not only much faster in practice, > > it's more unconscious and habit-friendly. Remember, thought is irksome!
