Don't think it was DEC. On PDP-11/RSX and VAX/VMS directories were  
enclosed in square brackets, something like SY:[0,1] or DUA0:[SYS 
$ROOT.DIR.SUBDIR], always with unique [ ] delimiters.

Best,
Mike Dvorkin
http://www.rubywizards.com


On Sep 6, 2006, at 2:16 PM, Rick DeNatale wrote:

> On 9/6/06, Berger, Daniel <Daniel.Berger / qwest.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> Indeed.  This is why all paths generated using the pathname2 package
>> convert all forward slashes to backslashes.  Also, the various  
>> PathXXX
>> functions do NOT work with forward slashes.
>
> If only Gary Kildall had not decided to use / instead of - for
> parameter markers in CP/M, so that it wasn't taken when directories
> were added. I'm pretty sure that he's the one to blame, or did it come
> from one of the DEC operating systems he used as a model for the
> 'shell?'
>
> -- 
> Rick DeNatale
>
> My blog on Ruby
> http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/
>