From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org  Sun Apr 17 22:33:37 2016
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org
 [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1])
 by mailman.ysv.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7EF3AB11256
 for <freebsd-questions@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org>;
 Sun, 17 Apr 2016 22:33:37 +0000 (UTC)
 (envelope-from dpchrist@holgerdanske.com)
Received: from holgerdanske.com (holgerdanske.com [184.105.128.27])
 by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 637D41FEC
 for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>; Sun, 17 Apr 2016 22:33:37 +0000 (UTC)
 (envelope-from dpchrist@holgerdanske.com)
Received: from ::ffff:99.100.19.101 ([99.100.19.101]) by holgerdanske.com
 for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>; Sun, 17 Apr 2016 15:30:51 -0700
Subject: Re: rm -rf -Mitigating the dangers
To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
References: <CAAdA2WNqWACnjiUSHhYWL1nEj=YGPPURqJHsAcjaXYacziXsfg@mail.gmail.com>
From: David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com>
Message-ID: <57140EA2.6020503@holgerdanske.com>
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2016 15:30:58 -0700
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:38.0) Gecko/20100101
 Icedove/38.7.0
MIME-Version: 1.0
In-Reply-To: <CAAdA2WNqWACnjiUSHhYWL1nEj=YGPPURqJHsAcjaXYacziXsfg@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.21
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/options/freebsd-questions>, 
 <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions/>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
 <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2016 22:33:37 -0000

On 04/17/2016 10:10 AM, Odhiambo Washington wrote:
> I am wondering if I should place a feature request on this or just do it my
> way:)
>
> With great power comes great responsibility and as such I think there
> should be a wrapper around rm to warn sysadmins that what they are about to
> do with -rf is dangerous, yes?
>
> Read input from sysadmin 3 times, looking strictly for their confirmation
> before effecting the `rm -rf`.
>
> Could it be that what I am smoking/drinking is the issue here or I have
> your support? LOL

I have this in my .bashrc:

     alias rm='rm -i --one-file-system'

So, an accidental 'rm -rf' should limit destruction to one file system.


Perhaps what you're looking for is a command-line equivalent of desktop 
trash cans.  STFW this is not a new idea and there are existing solutions.


David