GNU bug report logs - #12339
Bug: rm -fr . doesn't dir depth first deletion yet it is documented to do so.

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From: Linda Walsh <coreutils <at> tlinx.org>
To: Eric Blake <eblake <at> redhat.com>
Cc: 12339 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#12339: Bug: rm -fr . doesn't dir depth first deletion yet it is documented to do so.
Date: Tue, 04 Sep 2012 11:07:22 -0700

Eric Blake wrote:
> POSIX does indeed say that, but it applies only when you use 'rm' in a
> standards-compliant invocation; the moment you add --no-preserve-root to
> your invocation, you are no longer using a standards-compliant
> invocation, so all bets are off as far as POSIX goes.
--
	Which under GNU tools has mean when POSIX_CORRECTLY=1 is set
in the environment.

	It is not.

	There is nothing preventing tools functioning in a more userfriendly
manner than POSIX allows in the absence of a request for POSIX_CORRECTLY.

	Unless you are telling me that all GNU utils have removed
that and always run in POSIX mode by default.

	POSIX was designed to be a lowest common denominator --
not a highest level allowed -- that's why under Gnu/Linux it's
only under a specific request for POSIX compat that lowest level
functionality is enforced.

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