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adding linux possible clear exception #1493

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adding linux possible clear exception #1493

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adding linux possible clear exception
sstevens2 Jun 18, 2025
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Creating shorter line length as requested by maintainer
sstevens2 Jun 18, 2025
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sstevens2 Aug 21, 2025
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6 changes: 5 additions & 1 deletion episodes/02-filedir.md
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Expand Up @@ -179,14 +179,18 @@ we can see that the home directory contains only **sub-directories**.
Any names in the output that don't have a classification symbol
are **files** in the current working directory.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: callout
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: spoiler
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Benson and I are wondering about why this section was made into a spoiler? Is it because this is too much information? Thank you for looking through this!

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@sstevens2 sstevens2 Aug 21, 2025 •
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In my understanding, a callout is something that that all instructors should cover because it highlights an important point. A spoiler is optional material and in my experience clear is something the learners don't have to learn at this point and so it is better left to the discretion of the instructor and thus placed in a spoiler. I don't even use clear regularly in my practice.

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I should note, many of the older lessons have callouts might be better as spoilers throughout them since the spoiler capability is a relatively recent addition to the workbench. Before that feature, callouts were used somewhat inconsistently for optional content and important content.
I've been on the look out for them in my issues/PRs and noticed this one when I went to add the info about clear sometimes clearing the scrollback buffer.


## Clearing your terminal

If your screen gets too cluttered, you can clear your terminal using the
`clear` command. You can still access previous commands using <kbd>↑</kbd>
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Suggested change
`clear` command. You can still access previous commands using <kbd>↑</kbd>
`clear -x` command. You can still access previous commands using <kbd>↑</kbd>

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I don't think the -x flag is needed here. The addition for some bash configurations is mentioned below and the unexplained flag so early in the lessons where they are learning about options may be more cognitive load and more confusing than beneficial.

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Maybe it is better to move this after introducing manual pages? Would hesitate to remove that one can access previous commands - if one uses clear and is no longer able to access previous commands this will cause confusion that likely raised the associated issue. As Bash and other shells are configurable, introducing that one may need to manage/check configurations and look up options in the documentation is helpful. There is a cognitive load, but pretending these situations will not occur is a disservice - instead we want to encourage a growth mindset that one can configure a shell to be more efficient for what they do. The line above introduces ls -F, so showcasing options a little later may be helpful.

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Ok. Happy for it to be included there with the -x flag. Thanks for the point out that they learned using flags ahead of this statement!
In my experience, the clear here is included so that instructors who use it by habit can mention it to learners rather than because learners really need it at this point. I'm happy to leave it here with the flag as is currently written.

and <kbd>↓</kbd> to move line-by-line, or by scrolling in your terminal.

For some Linux systems, `clear` may also clear the scrollbuffer and you
will not be able to scroll back when using `clear` without changing other
settings.


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