On: Unix Commands I Abuse Every Day

[masklinn]

> it doesn't launch a new process for each line like exec does

Exec doesn't either if you use "+" as a terminator:

    find . $(options) -exec command {} \;

executes one command per match,

    find . $(options) -exec command {} +

executes a single command with all matches

> exec is just an ugly hack on find

Obvious and complete nonsense, -exec is both an important predicate of find and a useful and efficient tool.

-print0/xargs -0, now that is a hack.

[gnaritas → masklinn]

You apparently missed the part where I said "but far more importantly".

[masklinn → gnaritas]

No, that's just your opinion and you're entitled to it so I don't care, the rest is factually incorrect.

[gnaritas → masklinn]

Oh, I agree on the + thing, I wasn't aware of that option, however, it doesn't make exec any more generalizable across commands which is what matters.