[Python-modules-team] Bug#643990: Inconsistent naming off command-line programs

[Juhapekka Tolvanen]

Package: python-docutils
Version: 0.8.1-3
Severity: normal

When I see command name "rst2latex", I understand immediately, that it
takes RST-code and outputs LaTeX-code. It just follows common naming
convention of command line Unix-programs. It is so common that even
Jargon File knows about it:

http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/0/infix-2.html

And that's fine: rst2latex really works exactly as its name suggests.

Then comes command line program called "rst2xetex". That name
suggests, it takes RST-code as its input and outputs Plain TeX -code
suitable for TeX-engine called XeTeX. Bzzz! Wrong! It's man page says:

rst2xetex - convert reST documents to XeLateX

What the hell? If it outputs LaTeX-code suitable for XeLaTeX, why its
name is "rst2xetex" and not "rst2xelatex", then? If I write LaTeX-code
that is compiled with TeX-engine called XeTeX, then I compile it with
command xelatex, and not xetex.

That is totally stupid inconsistency. What the hell is going in the
twisted minds of developers of python-docutils? BTW who writes Plain
TeX -code, anyway, when we have LaTeX and ConTeXt?


-- System Information:
Debian Release: wheezy/sid
  APT prefers stable
  APT policy: (990, 'stable'), (500, 'testing-proposed-updates'), (500, 'stable-updates'), (500, 'proposed-updates'), (102, 'testing'), (101, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 3.0.0-4.dmz.2-liquorix-686 (SMP w/1 CPU core; PREEMPT)
Locale: LANG=fi_FI.utf8, LC_CTYPE=fi_FI.utf8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages python-docutils depends on:
ii  docutils-common  0.8.1-3
ii  python           2.7.2-7
ii  python-roman     0.8.1-3
ii  python-support   1.0.14 

Versions of packages python-docutils recommends:
ii  docutils-doc     0.8.1-3    
ii  libpaper-utils   1.1.24+nmu1
ii  python-imaging   1.1.7-4    
ii  python-lxml      2.3-0.1+b2 
ii  python-pygments  1.4+dfsg-2 

Versions of packages python-docutils suggests:
ii  texlive-lang-french        2009-3 
ii  texlive-latex-base         2009-14
ii  texlive-latex-recommended  2009-14
ii  ttf-linux-libertine        4.7.5-1

-- no debconf information

-- 
Juhapekka "naula" Tolvanen * http colon slash slash iki dot fi slash juhtolv
"Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur."