Historical question: LF vs. CR\LF in text files

[Peter da Silva]

In article <7581 at tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> toma at tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM (Tom Almy) writes:
> I have used several systems that went the single character route using the
> Carriage Return. This is probably the most sensible because input conversion
> is not necessary.

However, the ASCII code set includes the recommendation that *if* a single
character is used for "new-line" it be the "line-feed" character. The reason,
I assume, is that a single carriage-return is more useful for translating
Fortran carriage-control to ASCII.

> I know that the net is full of UNIX-myopic people, but UNIX was not first nor
> did it make the best move on this one.

They might not have been the first, but it's more useful to be able to
generate a single CR than a single LF on your output.
-- 
`-_-' Peter da Silva. +1 713 274 5180.  <peter at ficc.ferranti.com>
 'U`  Have you hugged your wolf today?  <peter at sugar.hackercorp.com>
@FIN  Dirty words: Zhghnyyl erphefvir vayvar shapgvbaf.