On 7 Sep 2000, at 8:15, Bernie wrote:
> >Why pick on Linux? DOS is the same.
>
> NO IT IS NOT! If the user types in an incorrect syntax the program should
> NEVER EVER screw anything up - it should exit gracefully (or atleast not
> make any changes and hang). This is exactly what I want to point out - the
> Linux world obviously have trouble grasping this
IMHO The CMOS changes were not caused by Linux or the dd
command. Or if they were, there was a genuine user error. How
can it tell there is a mistake? That is very windows-like, "Oh, that
looks like a mistake, I won't let you do that." Like in IRC in a busy
channel, someone says "Press Alt-F4 to see private messages!",
and you'll see a couple of people leave. Should the IRC program
stop that? (Yes I know pretty crappy example)
> DOS is safe in the sense that you can never screw anything up by typing
> something that isn't according to the syntax. That you as a user can format
> the HD and other things is something else entirely (you can destroy things
> if you want to but never by incorrect syntax).
You sure? You can't predict a fool's actions unless you are a fool
yourself. And I'm not calling you a fool.
> >For example, if you carelessly hold down the shift key
> >while entering "del 8ball.com", you will delete every
> >com file in that directory. Try that in your root DOS
> >directory for some real fun.
>
> I will? I've never tried that, might I ask how that's going to happen?
> (And I can always undelete in DOS).
> Ok, here goes....
>
> C:\DOS\>DEL *BALL>COM
> No such file or directory
>
> Obviously you haven't grasped how the * works in DOS and Linux.
Um, a * is very "greedy" and will take everything. Some DOS's are
more smart and the * is not so greedy (including the one in W98),
but it is the case in MS-DOS.
In other words, *ball.com will match every *.com, in MS-DOS <6.x
at least. Oh, you'll find a 0-byte file called COM...
Remember the "Arachne Virus" from only days ago? A temporary
glitch in the thinking of Michael.
