Timeline for Why is the Unix command "touch" called touch? How is it related to new/create or update?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
10 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yesterday | comment | added | dave | @NickWestgate - that's pretty common; at least, where I work, he who touched it last is the natural recipient of the next bug to be reported. | |
| yesterday | comment | added | Nick Westgate | @dave: Interestingly, there's a quote about programmer etiquette around Unix tool maintenance by a member of the original Unix Lab that supports the everyday meaning angle. "[T]here was this attitude that he who touched it last owned it." Lorinda Cherry | |
| 2 days ago | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 4.0 | More accurate description of empty file handling, thanks Theo H. |
| Jun 16 at 2:32 | vote | accept | da_miao_zi | ||
| Jun 12 at 11:58 | comment | added | tomsmeding | There is also the related English word "untouched", which the dictionary maps to "unaltered" but that means the same as "unmodified". As touch updates the modification time, this also matches perfectly. | |
| Jun 12 at 0:10 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Finish the explanation, thanks @dave. |
| Jun 11 at 11:47 | comment | added | dave | Agree - it's unremarkable English usage. "Who changed this file?" "Wasn't me, I haven't touched it!". | |
| Jun 11 at 10:40 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 4.0 | V7 touch creates files if they’re empty too. |
| Jun 11 at 10:23 | history | edited | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 4.0 | The Make connection doesn’t explain the naming. |
| Jun 11 at 10:17 | history | answered | Stephen Kitt | CC BY-SA 4.0 |