Re: cp -n diff

[Marc Balmer <mbalmer%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

Am 03.05.11 21:37, schrieb Zafer Aydoğan:
> 2011/5/3 Joerg Sonnenberger <joerg%britannica.bec.de@localhost>:
>> On Tue, May 03, 2011 at 08:30:35PM +0200, Zafer Aydoğan wrote:
>>> Hello list,
>>>
>>> attached is a patch that implements the -n option for cp, which skips 
>>> existing
>>> files on the target.
>>
>> Please, no. Just use the right tool for the job.
>>
>> Joerg
>>
> 
> by "right tools" I suppose you refer to pax.
> Clearly, there could be tons of other tools to accomplish this task,
> but thats not my point. I would like to enrich cp of a feature that
> it is clearly missing in NetBSD.
> Although -n isn't POSIX, it is common behaviour.
> What arguments are there besides pax ?

please stop adding silly options to every program.  please stop
enriching cp.  this feature IS NOT MISSING IN NETBSD.

Ah, Linux added it, FreeBSD followed it, so we need it, too, I see...

cp is for copying files.  if I do not want to copy files, I do not enter
cp, I certainly do not enter cp -n.

or, if e.g., I do not want to shutdown my system, should I enter
"shutdown -n" ?

or, if e.g., I do not want to see the contents of a directory, should I
enter "ls -n" ?

or, if e.g., I want system pos-01 to overseleep a bit, would I enter
"wake -n pos-01" ?