I just learned about the --forest switch for ps. If you use it, you'll get a tree representing all of the parent and child processes running rather than just a straight up list.
If my understanding is correct OSX uses the freebsd utilities so that would be your reason.
Metaphors are sometimes confusing. Call it what it is. "Reflection" should have been called "type information", for example, and "--forest" should have been called "--nested".
Reflection is the ability of something to introspect. The term "self-reflection" dates back to 1652[1], so why change it? "Type information" is inaccurate because reflection can mean more than just getting information about types, like interfacing with the runtime or getting information about the language implementation.
I don't think concepts should be misnamed at the expense of accuracy.
[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-reflection
I'm saying it shouldn't have been used in the first place. It's an awkward, confusing metaphor. Programs aren't "reflecting", because "self-reflection" is something that only a sentient creature can perform. Programs currently have no concept of "self". I'd say "reflection" is less accurate than "type information", which covers at least 95% of use cases, if not more.
I don't think concepts should be misnamed at the expense of accuracy.
Neither do I. Also, all else being equal, less metaphors are better.
List.
Move.
Copy.
Tape Archiver.
They're not unusual, they're short.
As in:
ps axf