I like your 2026 perspective. Objectively, the posix shell syntax is genuinely bad, even though the overall system that it enabled is amazing. It's a very old system that took off because it solved a problem - history is kind to it because of that context. Though, awk is around the same age and provides a proof-by-existence that posix shell syntax didn't have to be make these mistakes.

Mostly agree, but many times there is no python nor ruby on a system, whereas there may always be shell available for scripts like these.

Ahh yes, that Bourne guy is clearly incompetent....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_R._Bourne