[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       busybox
Subject:    Re: [BusyBox] bug#1174: multiple busybox bugs. init, mv (minor), sh
From:       Erik Andersen <andersen () lineo ! com>
Date:       2001-05-31 10:47:00
[Download RAW message or body]

On Thu May 31, 2001 at 07:37:10AM -0500, David Douthitt wrote:
> Adam Slattery wrote:
> 
> > 2) mv
> > 
> > Currently the mv component doesn't support any options (like -f). This
> > is fine, but it might be nice if it silently ignored the first options
> > that started with - until it hit an argument that didn't start with -.
> > This isn't a bug, and I honestly don't care much if this is implemented.
> > Just noticed it when my installer code wasn't working right.
> 
> This is an interesting idea, though I would suggest a slight change. 
> Here would be my question: is it a good idea to silently ignore valid
> GNU options (like -f) and to error on invalid options?  It may or may
> not; one might look at ssmtp for an example, which silently ignores
> (but accepts) a great deal of sendmail's valid options.

My opinion is that (in the general case) silently ignoring options violates the
principle of least surprise.  If I tell mv to do something (like to remove any
trailing slashes from each SOURCE argument) and it silently pretends that it
did it, when in fact it did not, that is surely far buggier behavior then
telling you instantly that it doesn't do that.

There are cases where we can safely ignore specific options.  Those should be
added on a case-by-case basis.

 -Erik

--
Erik B. Andersen   email:  andersen@lineo.com
--This message was written using 73% post-consumer electrons--



[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]