Hi, according to the --help message and the manual of rm, the parameters "-I" and "--interactive=once" should be absolutely identical. But when you're deleting an unwritable file with parameter "-I", rm does not prompt for this file. When you're using "--interactive=once" rm is prompting.
> $ touch file1 && chmod -w file1 > $ touch file2 && touch file3 && touch file4 > $ ls -l > insgesamt 0 > -r--r--r-- 1 daniel daniel 0 2011-08-16 00:52 file1 > -rw-r--r-- 1 daniel daniel 0 2011-08-16 00:57 file2 > -rw-r--r-- 1 daniel daniel 0 2011-08-16 00:57 file3 > -rw-r--r-- 1 daniel daniel 0 2011-08-16 00:57 file4 > $ LC_ALL=C rm --interactive=once file1 file2 file3 file4 > rm: remove all arguments? y > rm: remove write-protected regular empty file `file1'? y > $ As you can see rm prompts for the unwritable file "file1". > $ touch file1 && chmod -w file1 > $ touch file2 && touch file3 && touch file4 > $ LC_ALL=C rm -I file1 file2 file3 file4 > rm: remove all arguments? y > $ Now rm does not prompt for the unwritable file "file1". This also happens if you're deleting "file1" only. My system: $ LC_ALL=C rm --version rm (GNU coreutils) 7.4 Copyright (C) 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law. Written by Paul Rubin, David MacKenzie, Richard M. Stallman, and Jim Meyering. $ lsb_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 10.04.3 LTS Release: 10.04 Codename: lucid $ uname -a Linux HP-Pavilion-Ubuntu 2.6.32-23-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 11 08:03:28 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux Greetings, Daniel Rudolf
