NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #20/NN_1992_20.iso/spool/comp/unix/question/11072

Internet Message Format | 1992-09-14 | 2.8 KB

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From: [e-mail] (John Navarra)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: user command to recover deleted file ?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 15 Sep 92 02:46:07 GMT
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (Usenet on news.acns)
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Lines: 41

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Tim Pierce) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Navarra) writes:
>
>>    Finally, without arguing the merits of various file preserving
>>methods (where have you been Kamens!? ;-) one very simple thing to do
>>it alias the rm command to mv all files to a 'wastebasket' or 'tmp'
>>directory and then later clean that directory out manually or with
>>a cron job.
>
>As it was pointed out to me when I brought this up, globally aliasing
>rm to something clever in order to "protect" the user is an extremely
>bad idea.  It sets them up to expect rm to act a certain way, and if
>they are dropped into a shell without aliasing (e.g. the Bourne
>shell), or into another Unix system which is not administered in the
>same way, all of your pampering is for nought when they "rm
>final-draft-thesis".
>
    Yeah yeah, I said I didn't want to get into this discussion
(but that was just a clever ploy to generate a discussion ;-) I have
had this debate at least twice with Kamens and we see things a bit
differently. I say being a bit pampered is a HELL of a lot better
than losing a file! I use a special rm function and I have never found
myself removing files that I didn't want removed. And even if I did,
they are backed up on tape. One of the main tenets of UNIX is the
freedom to customize your environment. If that includes altering a
command to do things the way you want, then so be it. How do you
think so many unix commands got started in the first place?
    I agree that many new users shouldn't be given altered commands
but once you know enough to ask about a command, you should have the
opportunity to change how it works. The philosophy you suggest, when
extrapolated, would call for use of only those utilities available on
EVERY UNIX PLATFORM. I certainly don't want to limit myself to that.

-tms


--
You can get further with a kind word | You can get further with a kind word
and a gun than a kind word alone.    | and a phaser than a kind word and a gun.
          --al capone                |           -- John Navarra
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