UNIX commands font

[Lawrence Velázquez]

On Feb 13, 2013, at 5:25 PM, Eneko Gotzon Ares <enekogotzon at gmail.com> wrote:

> Please, is there a canonical way, may be a font, for write UNIX commands among normal text?

No, but when writing styled text there is a common convention of using a fixed-width typeface for any sort of code.  This gives all characters equal weight and helps ensure that the reader does not miscount spaces or misinterpret semicolons and backquotes and such.

Of course, you can't change fonts when writing plain text (emails, for instance).  In this context, you might set off verbatim commands from prose using blank lines or indentation, especially if you're trying to represent the transcript from a terminal session:

    % port install foo
    % port uninstall foo

But there's no canonical (or even particularly common) way to do this. It's really up to you, unless you're writing a book or something.  Many people just intersperse commands with prose and expect the reader to be able to pick them out, especially in informal settings like mailing lists.

vq