Lisp, variables like `*` to `***` will store the last three results for
interactive use. In the shell then, `ls` would set `*` to the generated
directory listing; since the listing is also most likely printed to the screen,
-the full listing will also be stored (in that object) to be used again if e.g. `*`
-is requested again. Rerunning the command, on the other hand, will possibly
-generate a different directory listing as files may have been changed, so there
-*is* an immediate difference between the two forms.
+the full listing will also be stored (in that object) to be used again if e.g.
+`*` is requested again. Rerunning the command, on the other hand, will
+possibly generate a different directory listing as files may have been changed,
+so there *is* an immediate difference between the two forms.
+
+# Examples
+
+The pipeline `ls | wc -l` is (at least for me) often used to get the number of
+files in the (current) directory. Unfortunately there is no direct way to get
+this number directly except to enumerate the entries in a directory (under
+Linux that is).