Why is the “touch” command to create files called “touch”? Why isn’t it called mkfile or something? Like mkdir, chdir bleh?

I mean, was the dev too attached to the touch? Or was it that he was just too much into King Midas?

Because "touch" lets you just touch a file i.e. change the last accessed timestamp, last accessed user etc as opposed to poke or stab. It creates a file only when it's non existent, hence mkfile wouldn't be appropriate. One of the use cases I have heard about on the net is that you can make the compiler consider all the unmodified files by touching them.

man touch

It's still a weird name though.

@ddephor Imagine not being able to learn touch because you're homophobic: "You want me to _what_? 😓"

😬