From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Jul 31 17:29:00 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8AD6816A4DF for ; Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:29:00 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from rick@kiwi-computer.com) Received: from kiwi-computer.com (megan.kiwi-computer.com [63.224.10.3]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id AA07843D53 for ; Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:28:59 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from rick@kiwi-computer.com) Received: (qmail 84245 invoked by uid 2001); 31 Jul 2006 17:28:58 -0000 Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:28:58 -0500 From: "Rick C. Petty" To: Juan Rodriguez Message-ID: <20060731172858.GA84042@megan.kiwi-computer.com> References: <200607271150.k6RBoM9p031745@lurza.secnetix.de> <44C8FB65.9020102@FreeBSD.org> <44CE03D2.2050803@centtech.com> <17614.4005.407223.621637@bhuda.mired.org> <44CE199C.2020500@centtech.com> <17614.8289.134373.387558@bhuda.mired.org> <96b30c400607310847s1d2f845eo212b234d03f51e9a@mail.gmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <96b30c400607310847s1d2f845eo212b234d03f51e9a@mail.gmail.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.1i Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: [PATCH] adding two new options to 'cp' X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: rick-freebsd@kiwi-computer.com List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:29:00 -0000 On Mon, Jul 31, 2006 at 05:47:09PM +0200, Juan Rodriguez wrote: > > My GNU version of "cp" has more than 18 options, the FreeBSD > version only has 9. > > As I usually work with Linux machines, I'm used to "cp -a" and I have always > hated to have to look up in the FreeBSD's "cp" manual page for the right > options to get the same funtionality. I tend to think > that "-a" is option bloating because it's not really needed, but I see > "-l" as a new feature for "cp" that might be useful. I agree, -a is bloat. However I don't understand why you say: > To sum it up, I think "cp -a" and "cp -l" are both useful, I agree that the "-l" option *may* be useful. > the first one > because of compatibility with the large base of Linux systems out there, and > the second one because I think it's a useful feature for the FreeBSD "cp". In both cases, why don't you just use: /usr/compat/linux/bin/cp If you're not going to add all 18 options to our cp, then -a shouldn't be added at all. It doesn't provide any useful functionality, and the argument to make it more compatible with Linux is silly unless you add the other 9 options. If you want the linux cp, use the linux cp. -- Rick C. Petty