This is why ‘rm’ should be an alias for ‘rm -i’ [ even for root ]

which prompts you about file ReMoval, but not if you specify -f though : |

no idea is flawless, no *nix user infallible : )

If you want a friendly unix try AIX. It has the smitty interface that will actually allow a person as dumb as an NT admin perform most tasks without figuring out the command flags. And every man page there has an example at the end! ‘man tar’ for instance has nine examples for your old friend to look at (’man tar’ on linux has zero examples, OTOH).

I’m afraid the Unix-Haters have the argument here. For example compare the keystrokes to delete the emacs backup files in /etc with another similar set of keystrokes: ‘rm /etc/*~’ amd ‘rm /etc/* ~’ One of my friends typed the latter, and meant the former. He looked, noticed his mistake, and went to press delete. His finger was 1/4″ too low, and hit enter instead…
I’m typing this on a Linux box, but I hope I’m not too blinded by the ideology to ignore the short commings of UNIX. I agree this is a hard problem, but once someone (like Novel Netware, Plan 9, et c.) solves it I’m sure we’ll kick ourselves for not seeing the light earlier. Back in the day you could buy a Novel Fileserver, plug it in, and forget about it (the story goes that they would be occasionally found under piles of paper.) The question should probabily be “Why do I have to administer this stupid computer anyway?”

Reminds me of the time I thought ‘hmm, I think I’ll patch and recompile the kernel so I can get better ACPI support.’ Hehe. It took me eight hours in front of the computer to get it to boot again. This machine will be running Redhat’s stock 2.4.20-8 until the sun goes out, because I am not going through that ever again for love or money.

I find it interesting that your brother also engages in an activity in which the relationship between perfection and death is similarly defined:

http://www.greenspun.com/harry/bikes.htm

It must be in the genes.

>Tom’s son was either an idiot to pass up a chance to share that
> experience with his father, or very astute about measuring his innate
> lack of abilities. I vote the former.

Chill out man. Macs are cool, unix is sharp, flying is alright. I don’t know Tom Wardleigh. Let’s not call his son an idiot. This is the internet. Let’s all get along. You’re okay. I’m okay. Tom and his son are cool. Thanks!

Think before you press return… Never log in as root, use sudo instead…

“Which is why Mac users hate UNIX” Gee, and I thought I was a Mac user who really liked unix for the last however many years. MacOS X is probably one of the best things to ever happen to the Mac…

There is something to be said for XP’s System Restore points (basically a versioning and backup system of important settings, drivers, …?)

I’ve found it has failed me more often than it has helped, but on one or two occasions it certainly did help me out.

Philip, I am curious how old your instructor was when you started your rating? Kidding.

“Sharp contrast to Windows where the default is to give every user full administrative access, all the time.”

Well, no, unless you’re talking about the version of Windows that ran from DOS and couldn’t have overlapping windows on the desktop. XP gives you an explicit choice as to whether you run with full privileges.

“The typical Windows user doesn’t even READ dialog boxes or error messages, though, so that’s hardly a big deal.”

Perhaps, but the issue PhilG raised relates to persons who would otherwise be running a Unix variant.