Bug 218436

Summary:	emulators/simh pollutes the namespace
Product:	Ports & Packages	Reporter:	dave
Component:	Individual Port(s)	Assignee:	freebsd-ports-bugs (Nobody) <ports-bugs>
Status:	Closed Not Accepted
Severity:	Affects Many People	CC:	bob, tobik
Priority:	---	Flags:	bob: maintainer-feedback+
Version:	Latest
Hardware:	Any
OS:	Any

Description dave 2017-04-06 19:20:55 UTC

SIMH installs itself as e.g. /usr/local/bin/vax, when it really ought to use e.g. /usr/local/bin/simh-vax to avoid hijacking "vax" and thereby polluting the namespace.  I note that the MacPorts version already does this.

For example, I am currently writing a PDP-8 emulator, just for getting to grips with that fine old box again; I know that SIMH already emulates it, but I was distressed to learn that "/usr/local/bin/pdp8" had been taken.

Comment 1 Bob Eager 2017-04-07 12:07:48 UTC

I don't quite understand this. SIMH has been a port for almost 20 years, and that includes the use of 'pdp8'. If I understand the comment correctly, Dave wants the VAX emulator renamed to simh-vax, and presumably all of the other SIMH 
emulators too. Is this correct, or is there something special about the 'vax' name?

Does he also want SIMH to yield the pdp8 name so that he can use it for his emulator? Surely that would then pollute the namespace too?

I am not sure of the best solution, but would suggest that after 20 years, the status quo should be retained. 

Who decides?