Tech details - psql wraps at window width

As the originator of the "psql wraps at window width" patch, I'd like to 
set a matter or two straight:

The ioctl() function does not fail under ssh, contrary to the assertion 
made several times.  Nor does $COLUMNS remain static if the window size 
changes.  $COLUMNS is not a property of a bash, you'll find it is set by 
the readline library.  $COLUMNS is not fully cross-platform, though 
$MANWIDTH should be fine.  Please supply counter examples if needed, but 
this is pretty well traveled ground.  I think the original patch is fat 
and happy as far as interactive terminal use.

But I agree it's not desirable to wrap file any sort of stream output, 
by default, as that would break just about any script known to mankind.  
Yet wrapping is a very user-friendly default for interactive terminals. 
This is potentially an irreconcilable inconsistency.

I weigh in on the side of leaving it inconsistent, but making it really 
easy to force the behavior you want with something like:  \pset format wrap [auto|nnn|off]

But that leaves a big hole: what does the setting in .psqlrc refer to?  
Do we need separate controls in .psql?
  \pset format_terminal wrap [auto|nnn|off]  \pset format_terminal html  \pset format_stream wrap [auto|nnn|off]  \pset
format_streamhtml
 

Where, on a stream, auto and off would have the same meaning, and \pset 
format would set both?