🚀 go-pugleaf

We have been implementing long-named options in GNU utilities
with `+' as the delimiter.  For example,

   diff +context=2 +new-file +ignore-case foo bar

It turns out this conflicts with the POSIX utility syntax spec.
The POSIX committee refuses to change the spec.

The GNU project has already declared its independence from POSIX and
we don't have to fit the spec.  We provide an alternate mode which
supports the standard (by disabling long options), and that is
sufficient.  (Of course, people with any sense won't actually use this
mode.)

But if we can conveniently support the standard, I think that would be
a good thing to do.

We could make the long options fit in with the spec by changing
the syntax to use `--' as the delimiter, like this:

   diff --context=2 --new-file --ignore-case foo bar

Do you think we should make this change?

`-' followed by any other punctuation character would also fit with
the POSIX spec.  Is there any other punctuation character you think we
should use?

If you explain the reasons for your preference, that will help me
understand how the choices affect users.


Please don't send your reply to me.  Send it to
long-option-poll@gnu.ai.mit.edu.