A plea for Pi package naming consistency

[hippy]

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pi@Pi3B:~ $ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  raspi-config rp-prefapps rpi-eeprom xserver-common xserver-xephyr
  xserver-xorg-core

"raspi-", "rp-", "rpi-", plus "raspberrypi-" elsewhere : Please can we settle on one common prefix for Pi packages and executables and stick with that, or have some explanation as to why that's not appropriate.

I know it's not the biggest thing in the universe to fret over but I am finding it an increasing annoyance, typing "raspi-" when it should be "rpi-" and vice-versa, trying to remember which it is for what I am wanting to use.

[thagrol]

I know this isn't a direct answer to your request and puts the work load back on you but in the absense of standardisation setting up aliases is probably the way for you to go.

Add the alias commands to your .profile, .bashrc, .bash_aliases or the systemwide equivalents in /etc and they'll be loaded when you login or open a terminal session.

You'll probably find some are already setup by default. For example, on my Pi (raspbian/raspios) ls "is" aliased to "ls --color=auto".

[W. H. Heydt]

How many package names do you generally have to remember and type? Of the Raspberry Pi ones, I think the only ones I've used are raspi-config (that goes *way* back), rpi-update and rpi-eeprom-update. I am likely to have to start using camera handling commands in the near (as in weeks, not months) future, probably starting with raspistill. This is not a strain even on my old, and becoming erratic, memory.

[mob-i-l]

"raspi-", "rp-", "rpi-", plus "raspberrypi-" elsewhere : Please can we settle on one common prefix for Pi packages and executables and stick with that, or have some explanation as to why that's not appropriate.

I know it's not the biggest thing in the universe to fret over but I am finding it an increasing annoyance, typing "raspi-" when it should be "rpi-" and vice-versa, trying to remember which it is for what I am wanting to use.

I agree!

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$ raspi[Tab]
raspi-config  raspistill    raspividyuv   
raspi-gpio    raspivid      raspiyuv      
$ rp[Tab]
rp-bookshelf       rpc.gssd           rpc.svcgssd        rpi-update
rpcbind            rpc.idmapd         rpi-eeprom-config  rp-prefapps
rpcdebug           rpcinfo            rpi-eeprom-update  
rpcgen             rpc.statd          rpi-imager

rp- is not a very good prefix since rpc exists, but rpi- works. The only of the rp-, rpi-, and raspi programs that have man pages are rpi-eeprom-config and rpi-eeprom-update. Creating aliases doesn't help the man pages or the apt upgrade because they will still use the original names. BTW I think all rp-, rpi-, and raspi programs should have man pages.

[thagrol]

Creating aliases doesn't help the man pages or the apt upgrade because they will still use the original names.

No, it doesn't but I'm not sure I suggested it did. Creating aliases does provide an immediate, short term solution to the problem though.

BTW I think all rp-, rpi-, and raspi programs should have man pages.

Don't disagree with you there. But sadly, in my experience, a lot of folks asking for help on here don't read them or even know they exists (or know how to access them). Same goes for the almost* standard -h/--help command option and unlike a man page that'll still work when aliased.

Going back to the original issue, I suspect a forum post isn't the best way to bring these issue to the attention of the devs. Opening issues(s) on the apropriate github(s) may be better.

*: not every command supports it and some use -h for other purposes.

[neilgl]

I am using raspi-gpio a lot these days.

[hippy]

How many package names do you generally have to remember and type?

Not that many, it's just remembering which is which. But I had a heck of a job finding where the "bookshelf" app was because it uses an "rp-" prefix and I'd made an incorrect assumption.

And I'd forgotten about the "usbboot" package which provides the "rpiboot" app

I am using raspi-gpio a lot these days.

Not to be confused with plain "gpio"

[ejolson]

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pi@Pi3B:~ $ sudo apt-get upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  raspi-config rp-prefapps rpi-eeprom xserver-common xserver-xephyr
  xserver-xorg-core

"raspi-", "rp-", "rpi-", plus "raspberrypi-" elsewhere : Please can we settle on one common prefix for Pi packages and executables and stick with that, or have some explanation as to why that's not appropriate.

I know it's not the biggest thing in the universe to fret over but I am finding it an increasing annoyance, typing "raspi-" when it should be "rpi-" and vice-versa, trying to remember which it is for what I am wanting to use.

I like this idea. Maybe on Monday all programs could start with rp-, then on Tuesday with rpi-, Wednesday could be rasp-, Thursday pios-, Friday raspi- and on Saturday and Sunday all the Pi related packages could take a rest.

[davidcoton]

"raspi-", "rp-", "rpi-", plus "raspberrypi-" elsewhere :

I like this idea. Maybe on Monday all programs could start with rp-, then on Tuesday with rpi-, Wednesday could be rasp-, Thursday pios-, Friday raspi- and on Saturday and Sunday all the Pi related packages could take a rest.

Why not go the whole hog and use a random prefix for each program or package, changing at a random time each day? Could be implemented on a per-(raspi-,rp-,rpi-, raspberrypi-) basis too, just for extra interest supporting users.

[thagrol]

How many package names do you generally have to remember and type?

Not that many, it's just remembering which is which. But I had a heck of a job finding where the "bookshelf" app was because it uses an "rp-" prefix and I'd made an incorrect assumption.

And I'd forgotten about the "usbboot" package which provides the "rpiboot" app

I am using raspi-gpio a lot these days.

Not to be confused with plain "gpio"

A thought occurs: it's not the package names you want to see changed it's the program names. Might seem a trivial or picky distinction but it really isn't.

[neilgl]

Did I miss something again - there is raspi-gpio from the command line, not gpio ?

[hippy]

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pi@Pi4B:~/apps/picaxe $ gpio -v
gpio version: 2.50
Copyright (c) 2012-2018 Gordon Henderson

I would take it that it's not an official Pi developed app but I believe it comes pre-installed with the Raspberry Pi OS.

[DougieLawson]

Did I miss something again - there is raspi-gpio from the command line, not gpio ?

Both exist on my system.

raspi-gpio is an RPF/RPTL program.
gpio is part of WiringPi.

[neilgl]

Ah I did not miss anything - these days I don't install wiringpi (unfortunately)