Emmanuel Dreyfus wrote:
> [rm to unset user immutable flags when root runs it]
> > personally, i *expect* those flags to make rm fail.  in the case that
> > they do so, rm prints an error, and then i can decide if i really
> > meant to remove that file (and remove the flags and try again if i
> > really really meant to remove the file).
> 
> I noticed that, but I think it is okay. I would have been shocked if it
> tried to remove system immutable flags, but this is just about root
> ignoring user immutable flag, this is different.

I think that it could only try to ignore user immutable flags
if -f was given. I don't think rm without -f should ignore the flags.

Jaromir

> Root knows what (s)he is doing. If root decides to blow away some user
> data, I think that there should not be any way for the user to make it
> fail. Think about automatic /tmp cleanup for instance.
> 
> User immutable is for the user, so when a user uses rm, it should not
> remove user immutable files. But root should not care about user
> immutable flags. I see only one exception to this rule: I think it is
> bad to make rm remove user immutable flags on files owned by root.
> 
> -- 
> Emmanuel Dreyfus
> How the BSA is pushing to make computer programs patentable in Europe:
> http://swpat.ffii.org/vreji/papri/eubsa-swpat0202
> manu@netbsd.org
> 


-- 
Jaromir Dolecek <jdolecek@NetBSD.org>            http://www.NetBSD.org/
-=- We should be mindful of the potential goal, but as the tantric    -=-
-=- Buddhist masters say, ``You may notice during meditation that you -=-
-=- sometimes levitate or glow.   Do not let this distract you.''     -=-