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Ask HN: Linux/bash configuration in a regular file vs a dotfile?

1 points by caycep ↗ HN
Why not put shell configuration (i.e. .bash_profile or .bash_rc) in a regular file instead of a dot file?

4 comments

[ 3.1 ms ] story [ 18.7 ms ] thread
pwg
Because "dot files" are normally hidden when "ls" lists a directory. So unless you change things to always show them, by having them "hide" you don't have to look at them in your directory listings every time you list the directory contents.
caycep
I guess that is the original reason...but I seem to have to edit it quite often (or at least some environmental variable) so I thought perhaps it'd be useful to have it visible.
pwg
If you want them visible, then just do this in your shell:

alias ls="ls -a"

And now anytime you do an ls, you'll have visible dot files.

Of if you are using Linux and the GNU tools, setting the LS_OPTIONS environment variable to contain -a will also make them always visible.